Johan Vromans on wrote...
| Hi,
|
| Recently I upgraded to Fedora 8, to find out that the desktop system
| components are getting more and more tightly integrated. Where in
| earlier days one could start the window manager from a login shell,
| nowadays a compicated series of programs must be started to create a
| usable desktop environment.
|
| So maybe it will be necessary to comply to the modern way of using a
| desktop system -- but still I want to keep using ctwm as window
| manager.
|
| Do you recognize the problem? How do you cope with this?
| Note that this is not about the ctwm Gnome extensions. It's about
| using ctwm as window manager in a Gnome desktop system.
|
By default only one program is really started in the modern system...
"gnome-session".
This is a "session manager" which means it launches and controls
multiple clients, window managers, workspaces, panels, backgrounds,
screensavers etc etc etc etc....
Usally this is with minimal user configuration options, making it very
difficult for a user to modify just one small aspect of the whole
package.
However that does NOT mean you can't use an older style handling.
If you have a ".xsession" script in your home directory, then that
script by convention will be called instead of the gnome-session.
This is what I have and use...
For Solaris DT interface you needed an other special file to override
the startup process to regain user control. But that is a side issue.
Historically however X windows clients were started and handled by a
".xinitrc" file to launch the initial clients of a X windows login
and when that script (actually that process) exits you logout.
The only difference between a ".xsession" script and a ".xinitrc"
script is that the ".xinitrc" expects to have the users environment
already setup.
So.... My ".xsession" script sources by ".bashrc" (or ".cshrc")
and sets up my environment (PATHs, LIBs etc etc) then "exec"s the
".xinitrc" script to actually do my personal session setup.
My ".xinitrc" script is my version of a session manager. It sets the X
resources, key modifications, logout controls etc. As such over the
last 25 years it has become very complex, with a loop to allow me to
select "shutdown" and "reboot" of system "restart" session (kill all X
clients and re-start everything freash without fully logging out)
"logout", etc etc..
The actual client programs is launched from ".xinitrc" by running
seperate script ".xclients.$HOST" allowing me to customize specific
machines or ".xclient" for a default simple login.
But what about GNOME!!!
Simple. I start CTwm in my client script (as well as my xterms, monitor
applications, web browsers etc) but them I run a script "launch_gnome"
which basically prepares and runs "gnome_session", then fixes this up
after it has started.
As I have a window manager "ctwm" running. The gnome-session will pause
trying to launch (and failing to) "gnome-wm" then give up and continue
as normal.
It is't as simple as that.
You need to tell gnome NOT to use a background root window, and to not
run its screen saver (that is optional), remove the workspace applets,
and a few other tweeks like restoring your own key mappings and X
resource settings.
You need to make sure any old gnome was killed properly, and I still
have some applet startup problems.
But in general it works!!!!!
The result...
I have all MY clients (xterms, monitors), and my own session controls.
As well as my own mail handling program (exmh).
I run a CTWM window manager, with its window title bars, root menus,
the CTwm workspaces. etc...
But I also have the Gnome Panels, Menus, Applets, Sound controls.
I have the Gnome File Browser, Nautilus, including Disk Volume
Management for fast drag and drop for data to and from USB keys.
As such I can have my Cake, and Eat it too!
Anthony Thyssen ( System Programmer ) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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In seeking the unattainable,
simplicity only gets in the way. -- Alan J. Perlis
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Anthony's Home is his Castle http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~anthony/
