FVWM: Ideas for a new configration file

[Tom Horsley]

On Fri, 10 Jun 2016 14:06:03 +0100

Opinions and thoughts welcome.

I definitely wanted to make my init file completely mine, and one of
the problems I ran into was not knowing that lots of default settings
were built into fvwm, so it took a while for me to find and squash
the defaults I didn't want. Something that makes it clear how to
eradicate any default would have been helpful.

I currently have this at the top of my fvwmrc file:

# Remove most pre-defined default key/mouse bindings
#
Key F1 R A -
Key Tab A M -
Key Escape A MC -
Mouse 0 R N -
Mouse 1 TS A -
Mouse 1 F A -

# Don't go changing desktops on me just 'cause I get the mouse near the edge
# of the screen.
#
EdgeThickness 0

I doubt that is every single default, but it is all the ones that bugged me :-).

[Thomas Funk]

Hello all,
As some of you may be aware, the master branch in git now has code which not
only removes a lot of older modules, but also removes any mechanism for having
a default configuration.
There was a previous discussion on having a new default configuration file
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.window-managers.fvwm.general/6611/focus=7214
I recommend reading it first as it does seem to contain a lot of useful
information.
I'd like to hear proposals from people about the sorts of things that might be
useful, as well as how we can use this new configuration file to guide new
users. The point that I made in my original email in the aforementioned
thread still stands: this configuration file has to be a tutorial for users.

After reading the discussion about a new default configuration file and
that one on the forums [0] I'll try to collect the main points and attach
my thoughts:

It should be minimal, but functional
------------------------------------
* not depending on *any* external dependencies that do not come with
FVWM itself.
=> No excludes? xload, xclock, ...?

* New FvwmButtons -- swallowing things like:
- FvwmIconMan
- FvwmScript (maybe a clock?)
- FvwmPager
=> I liked the old one [3] (on the right bottom) but that one Nick drawn
here [4] (at the end of the post) looks also interesting

* The config file should be documented heavily -- as an example to look
towards for new users.
=> I like the commenting Nick did [2] - perhaps with links to the
Fvwm documentation (which increase the maintenance on the other hand).


It should look "modern"
-----------------------
* The colour scheme needs to be changed. The existing default one is
horrible.
* Don't look like MWM by default
* Change the window decors a bit -- maybe use colorset gradients
* Using vector buttons for the titlebar buttons
=> There was a thread started on the list [1] where people discussed what
is wanted from a "modern" theme:
- 3 pixel window borders
- 1 pixel borders for modules
- Commenting the config is very important
... and much more but unfortunatelly the suggestions done in ietherpad
are lost. Perhaps pebcack or someone else has written it down somewhere
...

The idea with a banner which tells the user to click everywhere to open
the RootMenu is pretty nice!

Best Regards,
Thomas

Btw ... Thomas, do you have already the latest tarball of Nicks and your work?
It would be very interesting to have a look at it :-)

[0] http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=205&sid=77e5e5c2b1727d2ed26675290fbd27e1
[1] http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.window-managers.fvwm.devel/4901
[2] http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=1085&sid=9769496f2e3e5bbce284604c521cb0ea#p1085
[3] Loading Image...
[4] http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=1343#p1343

[Brian]

On Sun, 12 Jun 2016 01:28:25 +0200

Post by Thomas Funk

Hello all,
As some of you may be aware, the master branch in git now has code
which not only removes a lot of older modules, but also removes any
mechanism for having a default configuration.
There was a previous discussion on having a new default
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.window-managers.fvwm.general/6611/focus=7214
I recommend reading it first as it does seem to contain a lot of
useful information.
I'd like to hear proposals from people about the sorts of things
that might be useful, as well as how we can use this new
configuration file to guide new users. The point that I made in my
original email in the aforementioned thread still stands: this
configuration file has to be a tutorial for users.

After reading the discussion about a new default configuration file
and that one on the forums [0] I'll try to collect the main points
It should be minimal, but functional
------------------------------------
* not depending on *any* external dependencies that do not come with
FVWM itself.
=> No excludes? xload, xclock, ...?
- FvwmIconMan
- FvwmScript (maybe a clock?)
- FvwmPager
=> I liked the old one [3] (on the right bottom) but that one Nick
drawn here [4] (at the end of the post) looks also interesting
* The config file should be documented heavily -- as an example to
look towards for new users.
=> I like the commenting Nick did [2] - perhaps with links to the
Fvwm documentation (which increase the maintenance on the other hand).
It should look "modern"
-----------------------
* The colour scheme needs to be changed. The existing default one is
horrible.
* Don't look like MWM by default
* Change the window decors a bit -- maybe use colorset gradients
* Using vector buttons for the titlebar buttons
=> There was a thread started on the list [1] where people
- 3 pixel window borders
- 1 pixel borders for modules
- Commenting the config is very important
... and much more but unfortunatelly the suggestions done in
ietherpad are lost. Perhaps pebcack or someone else has written it
down somewhere ...
The idea with a banner which tells the user to click everywhere to
open the RootMenu is pretty nice!
Best Regards,
Thomas
Btw ... Thomas, do you have already the latest tarball of Nicks and
your work? It would be very interesting to have a look at it :-)
[0]
http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=205&sid=77e5e5c2b1727d2ed26675290fbd27e1
[1]
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.window-managers.fvwm.devel/4901
[2]
http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=1085&sid=9769496f2e3e5bbce284604c521cb0ea#p1085
[3]
http://jerome.harckmans.be/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/fvwm_default.png
[4] http://www.fvwmforums.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=1343#p1343

I like much of the presentation that Thomas F has outlined.
Especially the idea of eliminating the horrible color combinations that
come with the default config of 2.6.5 (pink really!).
I believe there are many default configs on the Screenshots page
which should be considered. Maybe an expert with knowledge of the
new code, could test the old configs on the screenshots page and for
those configs that work properly, without tweaking or added
application/code, could then be put out on a poll for 60 days.
Which ever one gets the most likes/votes would be the new default
config? This two step process would be appropriate because, step 1
the experts determine which configs meet new code compliance, step 2
the users get involved by vote on which config is the most
pleasing/functional for the most FVWM users. Maybe the poll could be
carried on the linuxquestions.org website, rather than
FVWMForum.org, where they have a way to setup polling? I'd be
willing to manage the polling and arbitrate the comments, but I'm in
no way qualified to test the screen shot configs for compliance with
the new code (I really am still a noob with FVWM which is why I
still use FVWM-Themes (and its limits) to help me with my config).
Otherwise I would like to seesee the default config have some pp-up
that automatically ask basic questions about menu generation (hopefully
ICCM and freedesktop compliant), about color preferences, and some
simple colored background options, along with which services
(conky, network manager, volume icon, virtual manager, etc.) should be
swallowed/shown in the pager.
Thanks for asking!
BrianA_MN

[Bob Crochelt]

Sent from my iPad

Post by Thomas Funk
Btw ... Thomas, do you have already the latest tarball of Nicks and your work?
It would be very interesting to have a look at it :-)

So it turns out I did. To that end, I simply took the files and put them in
https://github.com/fvwmorg/fvwm/tree/ta/new-default-config
I've done nothing about moving/consolidating files, nor have I done much work
on updating the syntax of the files.
That said, you can get a good idea of what it's doing by moving your ~/.fvwm
directory out of the way and starting up that version of fvwm.
I'm hoping it'll be a useful starting place for someone.
Any questions, do please ask.
Kindly,
Thomas Adam

Thomas,
Thanks for this. Love using FVWM
Bob Crochelt