Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

rasat · 2022-02-10 17:18:05

I have opened this topic for the new myExt version 3. It is quite different from the previous one with the aim of being user-centered. Where the user can make changes and create his or her own. Hopefully, this removes the old image of Fvwm being difficult to configure. Also, it is easy to share user-made configs. And co-exist with other Fvwm based WMs and DEs.

Version 3.0.2 will be soon uploaded. Until then, take a look at the preview video.
https://youtu.be/Jw9I93JfIwo

Last edited by rasat (2022-04-21 20:21:22)

rasat · 2022-02-16 20:14:36

I have tested the current 55 extensions on NsCDE. A minor change from using on Fvwm3, they work fine. When I get time, planning to make one short video. Check the screenshot.

rasat · 2022-02-19 15:38:11

Here is some interesting news when speaking about tiling, that I want to share. Been searching for this for a long.

NsCDE does tiling nicely both vertically and horizontally.
FvwmRearrange -tile $0 -r -mn 3 -maximize 0 0 $[wa.width]p $[wa.height]p #vertical
FvwmRearrange -tile $0 -r -mn 2 -maximize 0 0 $[wa.width]p $[wa.height]p #horizontal

Could not find in NsCDE how does it restore all windows in their original position and size. Today, found the solution.

DestroyFunc DeTile
AddToFunc DeTile
+ I All (CurrentPage, !Iconic, CirculateHit, !Sticky) Maximize Off
+ I WindowId $0 WarpToWindow 50 50

This will become a great addon in myExt with one on/off button.

Last edited by rasat (2022-02-19 15:38:44)

rasat · 2022-04-19 15:49:56

I have changed the title of this thread to a new project that makes Fvwm interesting.

A perfect VM with the merge of Xfce and Fvwm. The former has an excellent application manager and the latter is the best window/virtual manager. Super light and with unlimited functionalities. Creating new configs as per need and choices and managing them with a graphical installer.

Xfce 4.16
Fvwm3 1.0.4 (also works well on Fvwm 2.6.8 )

Xfce panel 1 (taskbar), panel 2 (app icons), and whisker menu. Visible Fvwm extensions (left to right):

1. Fvwm OverView button of current windows.
2. Menu for system tasks and wallpapers.
3. Thin window title bar.
4. Window manager bar to resize, move, tiling, etc.
5. CurW/AllW - List of windows on current and all desk pages.
6. VM Desk - Virtual Window Manager 2x2 Pages.
7. Thumbnails of iconified windows (terminal and thunar).
8. 1x5 Miniature view of desktops.
9. Calendar, time, and date button.

Install:
Add this to .config/autostart/xfce-fvwm.desktop and load Xfce.

[Desktop Entry]
Exec=fvwm3 --replace
Exec=fvwm --replace

Download Xfce-FvwmEXT (ver. 1.2.1) package (one install and upgrade with Extention Installer):
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fvwm3- … ion/files/

GitHub: (ver. 1.2.1)
https://github.com/rasatpc/Xfce-FvwmEXT

Last edited by rasat (2026-09-18 13:24:32)

rasat · 2026-09-18 13:15:34

Users were asking about Xfce with Fvwm Extensions; time to wake it up.

This new upgrade (Xfce-FvwmEXT version 3.0.1) includes helpful Fvwm configs for the Desktop Environment. The configs (extensions) are few and integrate well with Xfce.

Screenshot:

Transparent:
https://rasatpc.net/Xfce-FvwmEXT/xfce-f … parent.png

Main features:
* Iconified Thumbnails.
* Full-Screen Maximize.
* Fvwm OverView (overview of active windows).
* Tiling (automatically snaps windows into non-overlapping grids).

After extracting to ~/.fvwm, you only need to install three packages.
sudo pacman -Syu fvwm3 imagemagick xorg-xdpyinfo

More Information
https://www.xfce-look.org/p/1774061

Last edited by rasat (2026-09-18 13:27:06)

amlug · 2026-09-19 10:35:25

Thanks @rasat for upgrading this combination.

What I really like about this combination of Xfce and Fvwm is that it brings together the strengths of both desktop and window management. For example, Fvwm does not support desktop icons and session management, whereas Xfce does not control window frames and layout and offers only minimal window management.

There is now a new version 3.1.1. It includes RootTransparency, a time/day button, and a wallpaper menu.

rasat · 2026-09-29 19:21:45

New update: version 3.1.2.
New RootTransparency colorset, Xfce background images, and buttons and pagers match the style of Xfce.

Screenshot:

Last edited by rasat (2026-09-29 19:25:58)

SimonJ · 2026-09-29 19:40:45

The reason I left xfce4 was every so often the icons would get rearranged, I even had backups of the files so I could revert the error. Has this been fixed now?

seth · 2026-09-29 20:11:59

Icons get "re-arranged" because either their position isn't re/stored w/ the session or because to adapt to output resizes (randr events) - the latter can be induced by DPMS (ie. your monitor goes to sleep, unregisters, some over-zealous daemon notices that and changes the size of the root window)
For the later you'll have to break the chain of events somewhere.
* disable DPMS (bad, Greta now hates you)
* turn off the overzealous daemon (might not be possible)
* for the output to register as present, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel … s_and_EDID resp. the nvidia driver actually has a setting for that

What xfce resp. the desktop could do would be to store icon positions for several output configs or at least sizes and/or be smart enough to ignore events that result in 0-sized root windows.

ceterum censeo: you're using it wrongly.
Desktop icons are an abomination

SimonJ · Yesterday 04:40:39

seth wrote:

Desktop icons are an abomination

I came to this conclusion and now have Niri and Quickshell with no icons. Ironic after chasing the perfect icon desktop.

5hridhyan · Yesterday 04:52:52

seth wrote:

you're using it wrongly.

Hey, are you looking for a marketing manager for your product by any chance?

Last edited by 5hridhyan (Yesterday 04:55:30)

seth · Yesterday 07:50:02

Anything you do for the applause, you're doing wrong.

But we should avoid derailing rasat's thread in chasing the literal ceterum censeo of my reply to the icon situation.

rasat · Yesterday 19:09:01

seth wrote:

But we should avoid derailing rasat's thread in chasing the literal ceterum censeo of my reply to the icon situation.

I don't mind; it helps look into different situations that may occur with either Xfce or Fvwm, or both when combined. Fvwm doesn't have desktop icons, one of the strengths of merging with Xfce.

I tested with one of my old Desktop folders with icons and images. With Desktop Settings / Desktop Icons, I changed the placement direction back and forth, logged out and logged in, restarted (fwm4 --replace), etc., etc. The arrangement of icons is stable. Don't find any issues. Or did I missed something.

seth · Yesterday 19:23:55

A possible trigger would be

xrandr --output <the_last_one> --off; sleep 5; xrandr --output <the_last_one> --auto

This can effectively happen when DPMS causes an output to unregister and some daemon resizes the root window because of this.

That's btw. still very much on topic - just the fallout from mentioning my disdain for desktop icons (and the win95 concept at large) isn't.

rasat · Yesterday 21:47:13

seth wrote:

A possible trigger would be

xrandr --output <the_last_one> --off; sleep 5; xrandr --output <the_last_one> --auto

Did a test with the bash script below on Xfce, and the icons get rearranged... I understand the annoyance. With "fvwm3 -- replace" (combining Xfce with Fvwm), the icons remain stable.

#!/bin/bash
# Find the last connected display
LAST_DISP=$(xrandr | awk '/ connected/ {print $1}' | tail -n 1)

# Turn off the display
xrandr --output "$LAST_DISP" --off

# Wait 5 seconds
sleep 5

# Re-enable the display and force Xfce to re-detect the native resolution
xrandr --output "$LAST_DISP" --auto
# xfdesktop --reload
# xfwm4 --replace
sleep 1 && fvwm3 --replace

Mini screenshot with organized icons and images, before and after bash script (xrand-test.sh):

Last edited by rasat (Yesterday 21:55:34)

rasat · Today 10:02:26

Forgot to mention: to avoid getting stuck, create one launcher icon on the desk.

Name: Fvwm-Replace
Command: fvwm3 --replace

Arch Linux

#1 2022-02-10 17:18:05

Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#2 2022-02-16 20:14:36

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#3 2022-02-19 15:38:11

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#4 2022-04-19 15:49:56

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#5 2026-09-18 13:15:34

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#6 2026-09-19 10:35:25

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#7 2026-09-29 19:21:45

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#8 2026-09-29 19:40:45

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#9 2026-09-29 20:11:59

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#10 Yesterday 04:40:39

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#11 Yesterday 04:52:52

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#12 Yesterday 07:50:02

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#13 Yesterday 19:09:01

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#14 Yesterday 19:23:55

Re: Xfce + Fvwm Extensions = perfect WM

#15 Yesterday 21:47:13

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