virtual desktops vs. pages

Hey all,
I am building my own config from scratch. In my current openbox setup I use 9 desktops/workspaces. I know there are quite a few ways I could go about this in fvwm…but I was wondering how desktops and pages compare.

In terms of resources, would 9 desktops hurt more than say 1 desktop with 9 pages, or 2 desktops with 5 pages each?

I am trying to minimize the delay in switching between workspaces.

ps…any suggestions on a way to break up the massive quantity of options? I am trying to avoid just grabbing someone else’s conf…or even pieces of a couple configs.

I have a well planned out setup…though finding the proper style options, functions, and what not is a bit daunting.

Thanks~

Well, a “Desk” is a container for pages. It depends on what you want out of them. What you’ll find is that Desks can be individually named; pages cannot. So for some people, they like to have, say, four desks with a different name, with each desk containing four pages. It depends of course, how you organise things in your head, as to which is more intuitive.

In terms of performance, there isn’t much difference between having one desk with six pages, and two desks each with three pages. But where the consideration happens is when you’re flipping through them. It’s a little tricker going from Desk → Desk, than it is page → page on any one desk. If that makes any sense…

Having two desks with X number of pages might take up a tinnnny bit more memory, but it’s so negligable as not to make any difference.

Delay? What kind of delay?

Can you be more specific? If you’re wanting to know what all the myriad of options are, and which ones you need, and which ones you don’t, then you have three choices:

  1. You use someone else’s config.
  2. You read “man fvwm” over and over and over.
  3. You follow step 2, and use trial-and-error. :slight_smile:

I’d personally write up a detailed explanation of what you’re wanting to achieve, and I’m sure someone could suggest which aspects you’d need to look up, etc, if that’s what you want?

One step at a time. Plan it all out. Don’t think ahead to other things, as you’ll just saturate yourself with information.

– Thomas Adam

Your comparison was just what I was looking for…thanks :O)

I have to play around with the desk/page combination some more…but you’re helping me on my way.

Fv is definitely something you need to take one thing at a time, I have learned that rather quickly. I spent some checking out screenies and designing my setup. So begins the endless man page continuum

:wink:

another question: What is the best way to put a “quick launch bar” together? I know there are taskbar and button modules…is that what I’m looking for?

oops…forgot to ask:

I noticed you can specify on which desk an app/window will load, is there a way to specify which page of which desk?

thanks

To create a quick launch bar/dock type thing I would use FvwmButtons module, look into that.

I just came across the StartsOnPage function so scratch that question :wink:

This manpage may be big…but it looks like it covers just about everything

HTH

You could also remove pages entirely by defining DesktopSize 1x1.