FVWMCrystalFAQ(1)

NAME
FVWM-Crystal - FAQ

DESCRIPTION
Frequently Asked Questions for FVWM-Crystal

Last updated: 06.05.2007, for version 3.0.5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.  General information.

     1.1: What is FVWM-Crystal?
     1.2: Who are the authors?
     1.3: Where I can get the newest version?
     1.4: Is there a mailing list?

2.  Installation.

     2.1:  What do I need to install FVWM-Crystal?
     2.2:  Can I use FVWM-Crystal with "stable" FVWM branch (2.4.x)?
     2.3:  How to install FVWM-Crystal from distributed packages?
     2.4:  How to install FVWM-Crystal from darcs repository?
     2.5:  How to install FVWM-Crystal manually?
     2.6:  How I can select FVWM-Crystal as my window manager?
     2.7:  When I start FVWM-Crystal I get only the empty FVWM desktop...
     2.8:  How can I restore a previous FVWM-Crystal session?
     2.9:  How can I use gnome-session with FVWM-Crystal?
     2.10: Can I save-restore more as one previous FVWM-Crystal sessions?
     2.11: Why there is no application panel on the desktop?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

  Q 1.1: What is FVWM-Crystal?
A: It's a set of FVWM configuration files, some Python and shell scripts, a set of application icons and images. This combination produces a fairly decent and customized Linux window manager using FVWM as it's basic component. With additional file managers, such as ROX-Filer or Nautilus (from GNOME Project) you can create useable and good-looking Linux desktop environment.

  Q 1.2: Who are the authors?
A: The author and current maintainer of FVWM-Crystal is Maciej Delmanowski. You can contact with him using his e-mail account <harnir@berlios.de> or through Jabber network <harnir@jabberek.net>.

FVWM-Crystal could not be in the present state without the help of other people. You can find their list in the AUTHORS file included in the project's package.

  Q 1.3: Where can I get the newest version?
A: Newest stable version can be always found on the main FVWM-Crystal website: http://fvwm-crystal.berlios.de/. Some GNU/Linux distributions have already included packages, usually named 'fvwm-crystal'.

You can also use the development version. It is a Darcs repository which contains the newest code. You can find more information on http://linux.net.pl/~harnir/fvwm-crystal/.

  Q 1.4: Is there a mailing list?
A: Yes, there is. You can read the archives by pointing your web browser on http://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/fvwm-crystal-users/

If you want to subscribe, you can do it using the Web interface: http://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/fvwm-crystal-users

INSTALLATION

  Q 2.1: What do I need to install FVWM-Crystal?
A: If you want to use FVWM-Crystal, you need to have:

    •   FVWM window manager, version 2.5.13+

    •   Python interpreter

    •   POSIX shell interpreter

    •   an application which can set the desktop wallpaper (habak, Esetroot, hsetroot)

You can install these applications to get additional functionality:

    •   terminal emulator (xterm, Aterm, Eterm, urxvt, mrxvt, gnome-terminal, konsole, mgt or xfce4-terminal are currently supported)

    •   ImageMagick - for window thumbnails and making screenshots

    •   XScreenSaver - a desktop screensaver

    •   stand-alone notification area application - trayer and stalonetray are supported

    •   sudo - running text-based applications as superuser and for shutdown/reboot commands (needs to be configured properly)

    •   gksudo - for running graphical applications as superuser

    •   GDM (gdmflexiserver) - for shutdown/reboot/new login commands

    •   a music player - XMMS, XMMS2 , QuodLibet, cdcd, alsaplayer or MPD are supported

    •   graphical file manager - ROX-Filer or Nautilus

    •   gnome-session - for saving amd restoring of your FVWM-Crystal session

Here are URLs for applications specified above:

    - FVWM
        http://www.fvwm.org/

    - habak, trayer
        http://fvwm-crystal.berlios.de/

    - stalonetray
        http://stalonetray.sourceforge.net

    - Esetroot
        http://www.jnrowe.ukfsn.org/projects/esetroot.html

    - hsetroot
        http://thegraveyard.org/hsetroot.php

    - Aterm
        http://aterm.sourceforge.net/

    - Eterm
        http://eterm.sourceforge.net/

    - URxvt
        http://software.schmorp.de/

    - mrxvt
        http://materm.sourceforge.net/

    - ImageMagick
        http://www.imagemagick.org/

    - XScreenSaver
        http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/

    - sudo
        http://www.courtesan.com/sudo/

    - XMMS
        http://www.xmms.org/

    - XMMS2
        http://wiki.xmms2.xmms.se/index.php/Main_Page

    - xmms-shell
        http://directory.fsf.org/audio/mp3/xmms-shell.html

    - xmms-find
        http://xmmsfind.sourceforge.net/

    - MPD
        http://www.musicpd.org/

    - mpc
        http://musicpd.org/mpc.shtml

    - alsaplayer
        http://www.alsaplayer.org

    - QuodLibet
        http://www.sacredchao.net/quodlibet

    - cdcd
        http://libcdaudio.sourceforge.net/

    - ROX-Filer
        http://rox.sourceforge.net/

    - gnome-session
        http://www.gnome.org

  Q 2.2: Can I use FVWM-Crystal with stable FVWM branch (2.4.x)?
A: No. Old FVWM version (so called "stable") is in fact, old. 2.5.x series has many improvements over the stable tree, for example support for PNG images, new modules, improvements in existing modules and bugfixes. I strongly encurage you to not use FVWM 2.4.x for FVWM-Crystal and install the newest unstable version.

  Q 2.3: How to install FVWM-Crystal from distributed packages?
A: Unpack fvwm-crystal-X.Y.tar.gz to an empty directory. After that cd into unpacked directory and execute:

                make install
By default Crystal will be installed in /usr/local directory. You can select destination directory using:

                make prefix=/usr install
After successful installation you can copy sample ~/.Xresources file from "addons/" directory of the FVWM-Crystal package, if you don't have one. If you use GDM as your login manager, you can copy file "addons/fvwm-crystal.desktop" to /usr/share/xsessions, so you will be able to select FVWM-Crystal as your window manager.

  Q 2.4 How to install FVWM-Crystal from darcs repository?
A: You need to create a local copy of a darcs repository by issuing command:

                darcs get http://linux.net.pl/~harnir/fvwm-crystal/
When it finishes, cd into newly created 'fvwm-crystal/' directory and issue commands:

                darcs changes > ChangeLog
                make install
You can change the destination directory as described above.

  Q 2.5: How to install FVWM-Crystal manually?
A: Parts of FVWM-Crystal configuration needs to have executable bit on, and it's set by the make script. If you can't or don't want to use it, you can installa FVWM-Crystal manually. Unpack the distributed package or get a darcs repository as described above, then issue commands below:

        cd fvwm-crystal
        chmod a+rx bin/*
        chmod -R a+rx fvwm/Applications
        chmod a+rx fvwm/scripts/FvwmMPD/*.py fvwm/scripts/FvwmMPD/*.sh
Now put all files from 'fvwm/' directory in the chosen configuration directory. If you want to install FVWM-Crystal in your $HOME directory, put the configuration files in ~/.fvwm-crystal directory (without the 'fvwm/' subdirectory!). Startup script will use them automatically.

You can also copy ~/.Xresources or fvwm-crystal.desktop as described above.

Before to run fvwm-crystal-generate-menu for the first time, be sure to read "Note on fvwm-crystal-generate-menu" and "Variables to check in fvwm-crystal-generate-menu" in FVWM-Crystal README file and follow the instructions.

  Q 2.6: How I can select FVWM-Crystak as my window manager?
A: If you are using 'startx' for running your X session, copy file 'addons/Xsession' from FVWM-Crystal package to your ~/.Xsession or ~/.xinitrc file. In other words, you need to start 'fvwm-crystal' script, 'fvwm' or 'fvwm2' will not work, because FVWM-Crystal has it's main configuration files in different place than FVWM.

If you are using GDM login manager, just select "FVWM-Crystal" in the Session menu.

  Q 2.7: When I start FVWM-Crystal I get only the empty FVWM desktop...
A: Make sure that you have correct path to the system-wide configuration files in 'fvwm-crystal' script. Also check if in your ~/.Xsession or ~/.xinitrc the last line contains 'exec fvwm-crystal'. Select "FVWM-Crystal" as your session in GDM, "FVWM" will not work.

  Q 2.8: How can I restore a previous FVWM-Crystal session?
A: You must install gnome-session and configure FVWM-Crystal to use it. When gnome-session is running, you can save the state of your FVWM-Crystal session by clicking on "Save session" in the "Quit" menu. With "manage session" in the same menu, you can set gnome-session properties and preferences. See Q 2.9 and Q 2.10.

  Q 2.9: How can I use gnome-session with FVWM-Crystal?
A:Usualy, gnome-session lauch and manage gnome. All that is needed to do is to configure gnome-session to launch FVWM-Crystal.

1)  Install gnome-session

2)  For gdm, edit 'fvwm-crystal.desktop' from FVWM-Crystal package, comment the line with

         #Exec=fvwm-crystal
and comment out the line with

         Exec=gnome-session --choose-session=FVWM-Crystal
Save the file as '/usr/share/xsessions/fvwm-crystal.desktop' so at gdm can see it. Be aware at the exact location of this file can differ between different linux distributions.

3)  For startx, just put the following in '~/.xinitrc':

         gnome-session --choose-session=FVWM-Crystal

4)  Don't skip this step. If you don't already have a '~/.gnome2/session' file, just copy 'addons/session' from FVWM-Crystal package to '~/.gnome2/session'.

If you already have a '~/.gnome2/session' file, edit this file, and paste the whole [FVWM-Crystal] section from 'addons/session'. You must end up with something like:

     [FVWM-Crystal]
     0,id=default0
     0,Priority=0
     0,RestartCommand=fvwm2 -f /usr/bin/../share/fvwm-crystal/fvwm/config -s 0
     num_clients=1
     [Default]
     ...
     whatever softwares gnome was running

The [FVWM-Crystal] section will be used by gdm or startx to launch FVWM-Crystal, the [Default] section will be used to launch gnome.

  Q 2.10: Can I save-restore more as one previous FVWM-Crystal sessions?
A: Short answer: No!

Long story: Sure, you can. Launch gnome-session-properties as explained above (Menu "Quit" -> "Manage session"). In the first tab, add a new session with a new name (I.e.: FVWM-Crystal-games). You will find a new section with that name in '~/,gnome2/session'.

If using gdm, make a new desktop file in '/usr/share/xsessions (I.e.: fvwm-crystal-games.desktop). The faster is to copy and rename fvwm-crystal.desktop. In this new file, edit the line that launch gnome-session with your new session name.

   I.e.: Exec=gnome-session --choose-session=FVWM-Crystal-games
If using startx, modify '~/.xintirc' with the name of the new session.

   I.e.: gnome-session --choose-session=FVWM-Crystal-games

  Q 2.11: Why is there no application panel on the desktop?
A: Do you have Python installed? Is 'fvwm-crystal.apps' script in a directory listed in $PATH environment variable? All files in Crystal's Application Database needs to have "executable" bit set (all files are actually scripts). You can set it by issuing command:

        chmod -R a+rx <installpath>/Applications