BSPWM Problems

VeL0X · 2014-06-04 17:27:54

Hey guys,

I have some problems setting um BSPWM.
I did everythink that was written in the guides (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bspwm, https://github.com/windelicato/dotfiles … r-dummies)
As I run startx, i get a blackscreen, but my bindings work. Some panels should be there, but, like I said, my screen is totally black (there is no cursor too...)
But I am able to run the terminal with Super+Enter, and, if I leave the terminal, the cursor appears..

post me, which output you need pls

Greetz, VeL0X

ANOKNUSA · 2014-06-04 19:27:15

Stand-alone window managers do not set a desktop background (other than Awesome, which thinks it should do everything it shouldn't). You can call a program like feh or hsetroot from your ~/.xinitrc file to do that. When it comes to panels, you'll need to provide more information (what panel you're using, what you expect to happen, how you've set it up). As for the cursor, are you saying you can't use the mouse? Or that the cursor doesn't appear until you move the mouse?

VeL0X · 2014-06-04 19:46:47

So, I heard about the background, but I mean the panels.
I followed the guides to create my own panels/panel_bar.. and in startx they are not visible/everything is black. I can just open the terminal with Super+Return... And for some reason i can use my mouse (touchpad) now...

VeL0X · 2014-06-04 19:59:16

--UPDATE--
I just set my background with hsetroot, so I can explain my problem better.

At least I think, I configured the panels right.
But as I startx, no panels are shown, just like the bar. And i don't know why or what to post here

So, i tried around a bit and recognized, that the bar appears, if i do

bar

in the terminal. But as i entered one "bar"-command, the "admin@archadmin" ~ % disappears and everything, that i type in, appears directly at the bar.
Additionally, if i close the Terminal where i executed the "bar"-command, the bar disappears.
Panels are still not shown
//I use LemonBoys' Bar...

Last edited by VeL0X (2014-06-04 20:19:34)

o_caino · 2014-06-05 08:53:47

VeL0X wrote:

At least I think, I configured the panels right.
But as I startx, no panels are shown, just like the bar. And i don't know why or what to post here

How are you starting the panel script? Is it executable and in your $PATH? Can you start the panel from a terminal window?

VeL0X wrote:

So, i tried around a bit and recognized, that the bar appears, if i do
bar
in the terminal. But as i entered one "bar"-command, the "admin@archadmin" ~ % disappears and everything, that i type in, appears directly at the bar.
Additionally, if i close the Terminal where i executed the "bar"-command, the bar disappears.

bar is not meant to be used that way. bar just displays whatever you pipe to it, so it's normal.

chickenPie4tea · 2014-06-05 09:31:13

I think it would be better to try another window manager. I have used about 15 different window managers and Bspwm was the hardest to set up. Getting the panel bar to show etc. Anyway here is what I did. I dont use Bspwm anymore though as I found it used a lot more memory than dwm and the bar wasn't as good anyway.

 Note-you dont get a system tray though and the desktop numbers are not clickable with the mouse
===============
put in .xinitrc

export PANEL_FIFO=/tmp/panel-fifo

exec bspwm -s "$PANEL_FIFO" -p W
================
at the bottom of your bpspwmrc put

panel &
====================
create a script called panel  and put the panel script in your path and give it permissions

#! /bin/sh

flavor=${1:-bar}

bspc control --put-status
xtitle -sf 'T%s' > "$PANEL_FIFO" &
clock -sf 'S%a %H:%M' > "$PANEL_FIFO" &

case "$flavor" in
    bar)
        cat "$PANEL_FIFO" | /home/yourusernamehere/bin/panel_bar | bar
        ;;
    dzen2)
        PANEL_HEIGHT=24
        FONT_FAMILY='DejaVu Sans'
        FONT_SIZE=11
        cat "$PANEL_FIFO" | panel_dzen2 -f "$FONT_FAMILY" -s "$FONT_SIZE" | dzen2 -h $PANEL_HEIGHT -dock -ta l -title-name panel -fn "${FONT_FAMILY}:pixelsize=${FONT_SIZE}" -fg "$COLOR_FOREGROUND" -bg "$COLOR_BACKGROUND"
        ;;
esac
===========================================
the contents of panel_bar

#! /bin/sh
#
# Example panel for LemonBoy's bar

. panel_colors

while read -r line ; do
	case $line in
		S*)
			# clock output
			sys_infos="%{F$COLOR_STATUS_FG}%{B$COLOR_STATUS_BG}${line#?}"
			;;
		T*)
			# xtitle output
			title="%{F$COLOR_TITLE_FG}%{B$COLOR_TITLE_BG}${line#?}"
			;;
		W*)
			# bspwm internal state
			wm_infos=""
			IFS=':'
			set -- ${line#?}
			while [ $# -gt 0 ] ; do
				item=$1
				name=${item#?}
				case $item in
					O*)
						# focused occupied desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_FOCUSED_OCCUPIED_FG}%{B$COLOR_FOCUSED_OCCUPIED_BG}%{U$COLOR_FOREGROUND}%{+u}${name}%{-u}"
						;;
					F*)
						# focused free desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_FOCUSED_FREE_FG}%{B$COLOR_FOCUSED_FREE_BG}%{U$COLOR_FOREGROUND}%{+u}${name}%{-u}"
						;;
					U*)
						# focused urgent desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_FOCUSED_URGENT_FG}%{B$COLOR_FOCUSED_URGENT_BG}%{U$COLOR_FOREGROUND}%{+u}${name}%{-u}"
						;;
					o*)
						# occupied desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_OCCUPIED_FG}%{B$COLOR_OCCUPIED_BG}${name}"
						;;
					f*)
						# free desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_FREE_FG}%{B$COLOR_FREE_BG}${name}"
						;;
					u*)
						# urgent desktop
						wm_infos="$wm_infos %{F$COLOR_URGENT_FG}%{B$COLOR_URGENT_BG}${name}"
						;;
					L*)
						# layout
						layout=$(printf "%s" "${name}" | sed 's/\(.\).*/\U\1/')
						wm_infos="$wm_infos    %{F$COLOR_LAYOUT_FG}%{B$COLOR_LAYOUT_BG}$layout"
						;;
				esac
				shift
			done
			;;
	esac
	printf "%s\n" "%{l} $wm_infos %{c} $title %{r} $sys_infos  "
done

===================================
You need to set PANEL_FIFO in ~/.profile  although i just added it to .bash_profile
PANEL_FIFO="/tmp/panel-fifo"

==============
Install sutils from baskerville's github and xtitle 
==============
You need in your panel script.

[ -e "$PANEL_FIFO" ] && rm "$PANEL_FIFO"
mkfifo "$PANEL_FIFO"

and

bspc control --subscribe > "$PANEL_FIFO" &

Last edited by chickenPie4tea (2014-06-05 09:32:56)

o_caino · 2014-06-05 12:20:59

chickenPie4tea wrote:

I think it would be better to try another window manager. I have used about 15 different window managers and Bspwm was the hardest to set up. Getting the panel bar to show etc.

Note that the "panels" are not part of the window manager itself. The provided scripts are just examples using bar or dzen2. You're encouraged to make yours suiting your needs.
bspwm by itself is easy, simple and customizable. I'm using it without panels and I'm very happy with it.

ANOKNUSA · 2014-06-05 14:47:13

chickenPie4tea wrote:

I think it would be better to try another window manager.

chickenPie4tea, please don't do this. This isn't any different from :

"I have a problem with wifi in Windows 8."
"Then buy a Mac."

If the OP were looking for particular features that BSPWM lacked but another WM had your response would be reasonable, but the mere fact that someone's having difficulty setting up a statusbar doesn't call for changing the entire environment. Your personal experience isn't universal.

@VeLOX: There are different ways of getting status information into status bars, almost all of which involve executing something from ~/.xinitrc. Most people use a bash script; you could also use conky, if you wished. In either case, you'd need to add a line to ~/.xinitrc to run the script/program and pipe the information into bar.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-06-04 17:27:54

BSPWM Problems

#2 2014-06-04 19:27:15

Re: BSPWM Problems

#3 2014-06-04 19:46:47

Re: BSPWM Problems

#4 2014-06-04 19:59:16

Re: BSPWM Problems

#5 2014-06-05 08:53:47

Re: BSPWM Problems

#6 2014-06-05 09:31:13

Re: BSPWM Problems

#7 2014-06-05 12:20:59

Re: BSPWM Problems

#8 2014-06-05 14:47:13

Re: BSPWM Problems

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