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Not sure if this is supposed to be here or in the programming section, as it could fit both. Hello everyone, My name is Kaiidyn and I have been searching ...
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  1. 06-08-2009 #1
    Kaiidyn
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    X-Window Manager Programming

    Not sure if this is supposed to be here or in the programming section, as it could fit both.

    Hello everyone,
    My name is Kaiidyn and I have been searching for a while on how to make my own X-Window Manager (like gnome/kde etc)
    I have been doing research for a couple of days now, but I cannot find anything relative to my situation.

    What I am trying to accomplish is to have my own custom (from scratch?) window manager that works exactly as I want it to work, and look how I want it to look.
    And of course to learn

    Does anyone have any information on how to begin with this?
    Tutorials or books maybe?

    Kind regards,
    Kaiidyn.
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  2. 06-08-2009 #2
    GNU-Fan
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    Hello,

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaiidyn View Post
    My name is Kaiidyn and I have been searching for a while on how to make my own X-Window Manager (like gnome/kde etc)
    actually, these two are desktop environments. The WMs are just a small part of the project and are called "metacity" and "kwin".



    Quote Originally Posted by Kaiidyn View Post
    What I am trying to accomplish is to have my own custom (from scratch?) window manager that works exactly as I want it to work, and look how I want it to look.
    And of course to learn

    Does anyone have any information on how to begin with this?
    Tutorials or books maybe?
    You want the XLib programmer's and reference manual, especially chapter nine.
    http://tronche.com/gui/x/xlib/
    Internet Archive Search: xlib
    Debian GNU/Linux -- You know you want it.
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  3. 06-08-2009 #3
    Rubberman
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    I suggest that you get the source to twm and start with that. It is one of the smallest X-Windows desktop managers you can get. Also, as suggested, you should get the Xlib manuals (published by O'Reilly) and I suggest the Xtoolkit manual as well. There are about 8 or 9 books in the entire X-Windows reference set, and I regularly use about 4 or 5 of them. Each is a BIG doorstop, and the entire set will take up several linear feet of your bookshelf, not to mention set your budget back quite a bit... They run about $30-35 USD per volume (new). Anyway, the four volumes I use the most are 1, 2, 4, and 5. Ie,

    Vol 1. Xlib Programming Manual
    Vol 2. Xlib Reference Manual
    Vol 4. X Toolkit Intrinsics Programming Manual
    Vol 5. X Toolkit Intrinsics Reference Manual

    If you are into serious X programming (such as writing a window manager), then you really need all 4 of these.
    Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real time.
    Just remember, Semper Gumbi - always be flexible!
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  4. 06-09-2009 #4
    Kaiidyn
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    Thank you for the replies,
    I will look into it later today
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