Trouble creating fvwm3 configuration

Configuration
1

Hi.

I’m new to fvwm3. I’m trying to create an extremely basic setup for a testing environment.

I want to create an fvwm3 configuration as follows: I need to have 1 desktop only. The user shouldn’t be able to drag applications off the single desktop. I need a taskbar at the bottom which has a drop-down to show a menu of software, and a few quick access icons, with the date and time at the right side. I don’t want the mouse buttons on the desktop to do anything. I also want to get rid of all shortcuts. I want to get rid of the right panel completely, but still want the user to have access to re-open applications that they minimize.

I saw the following re: the taskbar, but it’s from an old fvwm version and doesn’t work – at least when I paste it in, I don’t get a taskbar:

If an fvwm3 guru would be able to help me make this happen, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

Jason.

2

Welcome to Fvwm, with all possibilities to make your own setup.

There are two ways of getting started. Copy the default config (…/share/fvwm3/default-config/config) to your home directory /.fvwm. Do the edit and remove what’s not needed.
Or, copy parts from the default config and create a new /.fvwm/config.

3

Thanks for the welcome.
Yes - I’ve already tried this, but ran into various roadblocks such as the task manager. It’s also not clear how to get rid of the additional desktops. Still hoping someone is able to me out :)

Jason.

4

Hi,

For one desktop only, U;d use:

DesktopName 0 Main
DesktopSize 1x1
EdgeScroll 0 0

If you want the mouse to do nothing – I presume clicking on the Root window?

Mouse 0 R A Nop

In terms of disabling the right panel, just don’t have that load at StartFunction

What else did you want?

5

Thanks Thomas. This is helpful. I’ll experiment with what you’ve provided.

Any idea how to do the taskbar which has the applications menu at the bottom on one size, and the date and time on the other side. I gave a link to the example that I had found online for fvwm (though for whatever reason the preview is incorrect even though if you click on the link it does takes you there)

Previously I removed the right panel, but when I did this, if you minimized an app, you couldn’t get it back…

6

The desktop size/edge worked as did the nop for the mouse button. Perfect - Thanks! I tried to comment these lines from rightpanel:

#*RightPanel: (25x20, Id desk1, Title “1”, Action (Mouse 1) GotoDesk 0 1, ActiveColorset 12, Frame 0)
#*RightPanel: (25x20, Id desk2, Title “2”, Action (Mouse 1) GotoDesk 0 2, ActiveColorset 12, Frame 0)
#*RightPanel: (25x20, Id desk3, Title “3”, Action (Mouse 1) GotoDesk 0 3, ActiveColorset 12, Frame 0)

… but for some reason, when I do this, it causes a syntax error because now I see three separate windows for FvwmIconMan, DateTime and Main. If I could get rid of the desktop selector, and then add an “applications” button to the rightpanel, perhaps at the top, which when clicked would open up the “root menu”, this would also work. Every time I try to modify the rightpanel, I end up with it all separating.

8

FvwmButtons (which is what RightPanel uses) have to be configured to make the button sizes work. If you comment out settings you change the dimensions and cause problems. Also there is some extra ‘empty’ buttons that are used for padding that make it so you can’t just comment out that, otherwise nothing will line up right and the algorithm won’t be able to figure out where to place things.

Panels take a bit of design to get correct. Here is a description that is a little easier to work with than the one in the default-config (which has some math to make it work for any monitor size). But if you have a fixed monitor resolution, it is a bit easier to lay out.

9

I did a test on Wiki [FvwmTaskBar (TaskBar) example on a separate file (test-file). Minor modifications included a few icons and the stalonetray from RightPanel.

RightPanel is closed and added at the beginning these commands:

## Desk
DesktopName 0 Main
DesktopSize 1x1
EdgeScroll 0 0
EwmhBaseStruts 0 0 0 0

## Mouse to do nothing
# Mouse 0 R A Nop

## Wifi
Exec nm-applet

At the end of default config:
Read $[HOME]/.fvwm/test-file

If it is helpful download the zip file here.

taskbar

10

It is up to you if you want to split your configuration into multiple files or not, if you don’t, don’t include Read $[HOME]/.fvwm/test-file at the end. A variant of that is only there to allow users to add to the default-config without copying it, that way if the default-config changes, the changes get used vs having to recopy and modify again.

You should probably put running nm-applet in the StartFunction, along with only run it at start (otherwise it will run again every restart).

AddToFunc StartFunction
+ I Test (Init) Exec exec nm-applet
11

Thanks guys. This has been really helpful. I appreciate your help. I’m now playing with things and seeing results. :smile:

Jason.