HOWTO: Basic IceWM Configuration

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Contributed by: macondo

Category: Desktop

Distribution: All

License: Linux Forums Article License

Posted: 05 October, 2010

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IceWM is a great window manager, fast, light and easy to understand. There are many apps to configure it, but i prefer to edit the configuration files.

IceWM is a great window manager, fast, light and easy to understand. There are many apps to configure it, but i prefer to edit the configuration files. I abhor icons, wallpapers, and the constant use of the mouse (i also use Ratpoison).
IceWM allows the above mentioned options so do not despair. Basically, this is how i do it and it's not the only way, there are other ways that may appeal to you and that is OK.

The site for IceWM is www.icewm.org and is very good explaining how to do things like wallpapers, keybinds, etc.

INSTALLATION
I use Debian Lenny with Backports, so aptitude, apt-get, wajig will do the job for me:

[code]
# apt-get install icewm icewm-themes menu
[/code]

You can get 'icewm-themes' in ubuntu and archlinux also, menumaker is available.

LAUNCHING ICEWM
You can put it in your DM of choice or in your .xinitrc, here is my .xinitrc:

[code]
xsetroot -solid black
xrdb -merge .Xdefaults
unclutter -idle 2 &
numlockx &
iceweasel &
exec icewm
[/code]

Just create the .xnitrc file ($ touch .xinitrc) and paste whatever you want, save/exit and enter the X system with 'startx'.

Once inside the X system, i press the left Windows key and the main menu comes up, i click on Settings > Focus > Sloppy Mouse Focus.

Next i choose my theme: Settings > Themes, click on it, and immediately it takes effect.

CREATING CONFIGURATION FILES
First i create a directory for ~/.icewm:

[code]
$ mkdir -p .icewm
[/code]

After that i create the configuration files i'm going to use:

[code]
$ touch .icewm/preferences
$ touch .icewm/keys
$ touch .icewm/winoptions
$ touch .icewm/prefoverride
[/code]

Obviously, if you open any of them, they will be blank :)

I go to the first one and open it:
[code]
$ nano -w .icewm/preferences
[/code]

And paste the preferences i have copied from /usr/share/icewm/preferences, in order to enable the preference, you have to UNCOMMENT the second line and change the number from '0' to '1', then i copy it and paste it in my .icewm/preferences. The first time it takes a while, but if you keep your IceWM configurations in a folder in your web mail, the second time will be just a matter of copying/pasting and it takes less than 5 minutes to configure the window manager. IceWM is very, very configurable is a dream for a meticulous person. So here is mine:

[code]
OpaqueMove=0
OpaqueResize=0
SmartPlacement=1
MenuMouseTracking=1
ModSuperIsCtrlAlt=1
UseMouseWheel=1
QuickSwitch=1
AutoReloadMenus=1
ShowProgramsMenu=1
ShowThemesMenu=1
ShowHelp=1
TerminalCommand="urxvt"
ShutdownCommand="sudo shutdown -h now"
RebootCommand="sudo shutdown -r now"
WorkspaceNames=" 1 ", " 2 "
LockCommand="xlock -mode blank"

ShowTaskBar=1
TaskBarAutoHide=0
TaskBarShowClock=1
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=0
TaskBarAtTop=0
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=0
TaskBarShowAPMTime=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=1
TaskBarShowWindows=1
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=0
TaskBarShowTray=1
TaskBarShowWindowIcons=0
TaskBarShowCPUStatus=0
TaskBarShowNetStatus=0
TaskBarShowCollapseButton=0
TaskBarWorkspacesLeft=1
TimeFormat="%R"
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=1
TaskBarShowWindowListMenu=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=0
TaskBarMailboxStatusBeepOnNewMail=0
NormalTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-medium-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*- *"
NormalTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"
ActiveTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*-*"
ActiveTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"

[/code]

KEYBINDINGS
$ nano -w .icewm/keys
and paste something of your liking like this:

[code]
key "Super+a" urxvt
key "Super+e" pcmanfm
key "Super+m" sylpheed
key "Super+i" iceweasel
key "Super+u" xchat
key "Super+Pause" sudo shutdown -h now
key "Print" urxvt -e scrot -cd 10
[/code]

The 'Super' key = Mod4 = Windows keys (left or right one)

OR
If you're not using some of your Fn keys:

[code]
key "F2" urxvt
key "F3" pcmanfm
key "F4" sylpheed
key "F5" iceweasel
key "F6" xchat
key "Super+Pause" sudo shutdown -h now
key "Print" urxvt -e scrot -cd 10
[/code]

I use F1 for the Vimperator manual. Keybinding is faster than the point/click with the mouse, your wrist will appreciate it. Just press F2 and your favorite terminal will be launched. Press the 'Print' key and scrot will take a screenshot in 10 seconds. To "get out of Dodge" press the Windows key and the 'Pause' key, bye-bye. Of course i belong to the 'sudo' group and need no password.

PREFOVERRIDE - alterations to the default keys to work easier for me.
$ nano -w .icewm/prefoverride
I copy/paste this:

[code]
KeyWinClose="Super+k"
KeyWinMaximize="F12"
KeySysTileHorizontal="Super+F2"
KeySysTileVertical="Super+F3"
[/code]

I like to close my apps with the Windows key (left or right one) and the 'k' key; the object is never to lift the hands from the keyboard :) To maximize, instead of the default Alt+F10, a simple F12 will do. To split the screen in two, Windows key + F2.

WINOPTIONS
$ nano -w .icewm/winoptions
I copy/paste this:

[code]
urxvt.startMaximized: 1
sylpheed.startMaximized: 1
xchat.startMaximized: 1
feh.startMaximized: 1
iceweasel.startMaximized: 1
pcmanfm.startMaximized: 1
[/code]

I like my apps maximized, IceWM comes with Alt-Tab by default.
Personally, i like the taskbar on top and no title bar, i think it's a waste of real estate :)

Screenie: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62252670@N00/5053679197/"
title="2010-10-05-073305_1024x768_scrot by ironwindow2001, on Flickr"><img
src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/5053679197_8d047f818b.jpg" width="500"
height="375" alt="2010-10-05-073305_1024x768_scrot" /></a>

Comments about this article

Screenshot.

writen by: tinytux on 2010-11-09 07:52:39

Ha, those screen shots links, this is a nice article, nonetheless.

RE: Screenshot. written by tinytux:

Screenshot.

writen by: tinytux on 2010-11-09 07:52:40

Ha, those screen shots links, this is a nice article, nonetheless.

RE: Screenshot. written by tinytux:

RE: Screenshot.

writen by: macondo on 2010-11-28 11:17:14

Here's a screenie:

http://flic.kr/p/8WMw5R

Reply to macondo:

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