Re: FVWM: 4 questions about fvwm

From: Alex Wallis <awol_at_dove.net.au>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 08:53:48 +0930

Jake Holmen wrote:
>
> Alex - thank you for your help.
>
> Here's my counter q's to your answers to my q's!
>
> thanks:
>
> >From: Alex Wallis <awol_at_dove.net.au>
> >To: Jake Holmen <jakeholmen_at_hotmail.com>, fvwm <fvwm_at_fvwm.org>
> >Subject: Re: FVWM: 4 questions about fvwm
> >Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 16:13:26 +0930
> >
> >Jake Holmen wrote:
> > >
> > > I know I may have had these answered before (in a roundabout way)
> > > but if someone could answer them, I'd be grateful:
> > >
> >Firstly which fvwm version are you running? There are slight differences
> >between them.
>
> J - I'll find out what version I am running, but how do I do that?
At any prompt issue the command "fvwm2 -version" (without the quotes of
course)
Or "fvwm95 -version" if it's the other binary. If it IS fvwm95 I
strongly urge you to upgrade to at least the last stable version
(fvwm2.2.4)
I'm also guessing your linux distribution is redhat. This too makes a
difference to your fvwm installation. (see other replies)
> (Help - About?) How do I UN-install the old version of fvwm2 and re-install
> the new? (I assume that you just delete the directory and gunzip the new
> package into the same directory)
Unless you have an .rpm version of fvwm uninstalling is problematic.
Most people just install new versions which overwrite the older
binaries, although many distributions of linux place the fvwm2 binary in
/usr/X11R6/bin whilst versions built from source usually install to
/usr/local/bin. Use "which fvwm2" to locate the fvwm2 binary in your
$PATH. Old module dir's can be deleted if no longer required as these
can sometimes account for as much as 6 or 7 Mb of hd space.
The module directory is most commonly
/usr/local/libexec/fvwm/$(version)/
>
> > > 1) How do I find the .fvwm95rc file if there is not one in my /root
> > > ($HOME) as root? I know it must be around somewhere....
> >Second, fvwm95 is really old and no longer supported. The later versions
> >of fvwm use .fvwm2rc files for configuration. (BTW: running your X
> >server as root is a security risk! Don't do it! Start X as a user
> >instead.)
> > >
>
> J - I still don't know the version - but I do know that I did have the file
> .fvwm95rc once, so I guess the version Im running must be old.
>
> Thanks for the security tip re 'root user', but How do I startx as a user,
> and then open an xwin session as another user?
You could use a "session manager" like xdm or gdm(see man xdm), or
simply login via console and issue a "startx fvwm2" command.
>
> > > 2) How do I map a button to a command, and whack it in the"Programs"
> > > sub-menu (Start-->Programs)
> >Menus and buttons are different.
> >
> >AddToMenu Programs
> >+ "AppName" Exec AppName
>
> J - I assume this command goes in my .fvwm2rc file when I find it/ install
> new version so I can find it.
Yup! You'll see lots of examples of this in that file once you find it.
Try using "locate fvwm2rc". (or fvwm95rc)
>
> >
> >should work for most applications invoked from a menu.
> >For a button I'd recommend the "man FvwmButtons" command to read the
> >manual page for that module. Here's an example line from my config....
> >
> >*FvwmButtons(1x1, Icon mini-isp.xpm, Action 'Exec kppp', Back grey55)
> >
> >That line invokes kppp to dial-up my connection.
>
> J - Cool - do you have to have k libraries to run k apps on fvwm2 ?
If kde is installed on your system you can take advantage of the
fvwm-menu-directory script in later fvwm versions to invoke the actual
menus and applications kde uses.
>
> >
> > >
> > > 3) how do I get Wharf to persistently start up, just like "config"
> >desktop
> > > does in Redhat?
> >AddToFunc StartFunction I Module FvwmWharf
> >
> >Refer the man page for fvwm2 (man fvwm2).
>
> J - Ok (I'll read more doco sorry)
Man is your best friend. :)
>
> >
> > >
> > > 4) how do I get "Alt + Tab" (once I find .fvwm95rc file..!) to raise the
> > > next window to the front (like W95 does?) Currently it brings focus to
> >the
> > > window (ie changes the title bar to blue) but doesn't bring it to the
> >front,
> > > so I can't see the whole window behind the current one.
> >I use a function like...
> >
> >DestroyFunc FocusAndWarp
> >AddToFunc FocusAndWarp I Focus
> >+ I WarpToWindow 50 50
> >
> >But that could also be....
> >DestroyFunc FocusAndRaise
> >AddToFunc FocusAndRaise I Focus
> >+ I Raise
> >
> >Then a couple of lines like...
> >Key Tab A M Prev FocusAndWarp
> >Key Tab A MS Next FocusAndWarp
> >should do it.
> >
>
> J - Thanks heaps for that. I'll keep this email as a reference so when I get
> a new version of fvwm2 / create a config file, I can add them.
New versions of fvwm have sample.fvwm2rc's with this function and many
many more already included.
In fact, if you're prepared to upgrade to a late snapshot of the
development version of fvwm(see www.fvwm.org downloads page), there's a
very new development version of Fvwm Themes available(check the links
page) which does most things that people want or very soon will. Themes
for fvwm are still under construction,
but already is very usable with 10 themes and mix & match components.
Many additional features are planned or undergoing development.
Upgrading to newer versions of the themes package is safe and painless
once downloaded.
>
> >There's some sample .fvwm2rc's in recent versions of fvwm source in the
> >sample.fvwmrc/ directory, including a working Win95 clone rc-file.
> >
> > > Thanks for all your help. - as the last question goes..
> > > I fixed up the "halt" command for the users like I wanted to.. I took
> >the
> > > easy way out for now, and mapped CTRL+ALT+DEL to halt (shutdown -h now)
> > > instead of reboot (reboot -r now) in /ect/innittab (thanks someone who
> > > suggested that!)
> > > Cheers
> >Some "online" help for fvwm configs is available via Internet Relay
> >Chat, on EFNET servers, and channel #fvwm (linux help on #linuxhelp)
> >I'm usually lurking thereabouts along with a few other fvwm users. :)
> > >
>
> J - thanks once again matey. I'll keep that in mind, though I am in nz at
> the moment - I might be a few hours ahead of you I think.
I am a nocturnal creature and sleep from dawn till noon, otherwise I'm
online.
Hope to see you on irc sometime and chat.

Alex
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Received on Sun Apr 09 2000 - 18:24:28 BST

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