FVWM-Crystal - Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: 30.12.2005, for version 3.0.1
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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: Why there is no application panel on the desktop?


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   Frequently Asked Questions
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1. General information.
------------------------

1.1 Q: 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.

1.2 Q: 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.

1.3 Q: Where I can 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/.

1.4 Q: 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


2. Installation.
-----------------

2.1 Q: 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
       - trayer - stand-alone tray/notification area application
       - 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 or MPD are supported
       - graphical file manager - ROX-Filer or Nautilus

       Here are URLs for applications specified above:
       - FVWM		http://www.fvwm.org/
       - habak, trayer	http://fvwm-crystal.berlios.de/
       - 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
       - QuodLibet	http://www.sacredchao.net/quodlibet
       - cdcd		http://libcdaudio.sourceforge.net/
       - ROX-Filer	http://rox.sourceforge.net/

2.2 Q: 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.

2.3 Q: 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.
       
2.4 Q: 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.

2.5 Q: 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.

2.6 Q: How I can select FVWM-Crystal 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.

2.7 Q: 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.

2.8 Q: Why there is 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

