Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

xnooby2 · 2007-07-19 02:57:13

Is there a window manager that lets you specify the gemoetery, location, and workspace where all your programs will start at? I am currently experimenting with OpenBox+wmii, and it would be ok if I could start off all my programs in the positions I want them in. Actually, almost any WM would be good if I could do that. I'd like to start maybe my 10 favorite apps when I run startx, then load others manually in to other workspaces.

benplaut · 2007-07-19 03:21:40

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Last edited by benplaut (2021-06-25 12:25:58)

stjepan · 2007-07-19 05:34:43

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Last edited by stjepan (2022-09-20 21:44:39)

xnooby2 · 2007-07-19 05:57:31

stjepan wrote:

Compiz

I have an ATI card in my laptop, I think its driver isnt linux friendly.

bboozzoo · 2007-07-19 06:42:55

windowmaker with clip used appropriately

tomk · 2007-07-19 08:04:58

Openbox per-application settings

caust1c · 2007-07-19 10:12:57

pekwm and dwm

xnooby2 · 2007-07-19 12:49:37

tomk wrote:

Openbox per-application settings

I'm already using OpenBox, so this looks like the natural choice - but I did no see where they can specify the gemoetery of the window (other than generalizing). Deveilspie WM lets you specify the X,Y coordinates of each window, but I don't see that in the per-app settings documentation. Does per-apps settings support X,Y location of windows?

Gilneas · 2007-07-19 13:56:02

IceWM may be able to.
Take a look at the things you can configure per application here: (this is from the online manual about config files)
http://www.icewm.org/manual/icewm-14.html#winoptions

spookshow · 2007-07-19 14:08:13

save your session in xfce4 will keep it for next login. not when you open the app each time though.

tomk · 2007-07-19 14:10:42

Apologies - I didn't read your requirements properly. Ignore that suggestion.

aodhon · 2007-07-19 21:33:52

stjepan wrote:

Compiz

How can you get compiz to open up apps on different viewports? I would really like to know.

benplaut · 2007-07-19 21:48:15

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Last edited by benplaut (2021-06-25 12:25:50)

rdt · 2007-07-19 22:21:33

I like the way fluxbox handles this.

Ankka · 2007-07-19 23:15:05

evilwm has a really simple method of specifying where apps start.

peabrain · 2007-07-20 00:09:54

I'm using a similar setup with FVWM.
For example I start Thunderbird automatically every time I start X:

Style "Thunderbird-bin" Title, Handles, Borders, StartsOnPage 1 0 0, SkipMapping, FixedSize, Iconifiable

DestroyFunc FvwmThunderbird
AddToFunc   FvwmThunderbird
+ I Exec exec thunderbird
+ I Wait Thunderbird-bin
+ I Next (Thunderbird-bin) Maximize grow grow

DestroyFunc InitFunction
AddToFunc   InitFunction
+ I Exec exec thunderbird

FVWM maximizes the TB window according to:

# Usable area: EwmhBaseStructs left right top bottom
EwmhBaseStruts 0 0 37 0

Meaning don't use the 37 topmost pixels.

Then there's this, for example: http://fvwm.lair.be/viewtopic.php?t=1720

There's been an interesting and useful commit in the FVWM CVS repository today. It introduces a new style of PositionPlacement which merges the CenterPlacement and UnderMousePlacement styles, and allows for placing a window at a known position (like the commands the Move command accepts).

FVWM all the way.

After I found Arch I knew my distro hopping had ended. After I found FVWM I knew I would never look to another WM (or DE).

xnooby2 · 2007-07-20 02:57:31

"After I found Arch I knew my distro hopping had ended. After I found FVWM I knew I would never look to another WM (or DE)."

Do you use FVWM, FVWM2, or FVWM95? Or maybe there are others? I always heard it was good, but it was butt ugly when I installed it, lol.

elgatofelix · 2007-07-20 03:09:09

Enlightenment (16 and 17 ) support remember window settings if u want just by click ing the window deco menu and [remember...].

pecan · 2007-07-20 05:59:35

E17 and 16 both do this. Very easy to set up, that and the mouse pointer focus is the main reason why i won't leave E17 for KDE.

peabrain · 2007-07-20 09:52:57

xnooby2 wrote:

Do you use FVWM, FVWM2, or FVWM95? Or maybe there are others?

I guess (and I could be wrong, I often am) FVWM pretty much means FVWM2 today. Some years ago things were different, as FVWM 1.x versions were still in use, but today FVWM2 (=versions of 2.x) is the obvious choice for most people, as FVWM1 is missing many of the fine features of the newer releases. To be exact one should use the "unstable" 2.5.x versions as compared to them the stable 2.4.x is lacking (not that 2.5.x is actually unstable, steady as a rock if you ask me, and fast as a lightning).

This is what is said in the FAQ at fvwm.org:

Note, starting from 2.5.1, the executable fvwm2 became fvwm again.
Also, starting from 2.5.11, the default config file is either
personal ~/.fvwm/config or system wide $datadir/fvwm/config.
So, we completely returned to the "fvwm" name.

FVWM95 is pretty much the same as FVWM(2) scripted to look like Windows95. They have added some win95-looking widgets and stuff, but what little I remember of using FVWM95, I'd say that essentially FVWM95 is FVWM scripted in certain way. And this whole scripting thing is in the very essence of FVWM. Take's a little while to get used to it, but after you've done scripting you've got everything working exactly the way you want it to. In fact FVWM can be made to look like almost any other existing window manager (excluding the 3D-behaviour of Beryl and the like).

I always heard it was good, but it was butt ugly when I installed it, lol.

Well, true.

The default configurations of FVWM don't do it justice, at least when speaking of eye-candy.
Take a look at http://fvwm-crystal.org/screenshots.html
There are some examples of what FVWM can be made to look like. But I don't dare to say that the possibilities configuring FVWM are almost endless (well, I'm talking about WMs here, so it won't do your dishes or walk your dog... though I wouldn't be that surprised if it did).

On the other hand FVWM has this odd effect on some users... for example it has shifted my perception of a beautiful manager. I used to be an eye-candy-hogger like anyone, but as I've been using FVWM I've noticed that my concentration has moved from beautiful looking to beautifylly functioning. My desktop configuration would be considered butt ugly by most, but I just love it. It isn't beautiful on the outside but in the inside. It works, it's functional.

But I don't know if FVWM is suited for everyone. It could be that one would actually feel the need for things that FVWM offers before they're ready to jump in. I know you should at least try it, because my love for FVWM started from where you were standing when you started this topic (+ I had been disappointed in every other WM I had tested).

This is some good reading for anyone interested in FVWM.

And this to get actually started.

Last edited by peabrain (2007-07-20 10:03:16)

pauldonnelly · 2007-07-20 10:20:25

Have you tried feeding the apps command line options to set their positions? If your window manager respects those, that may be simplest.

Lone_Wolf · 2007-07-20 22:11:59

Kde also can do that , just click the icon at the lef tof the title bar of a window and choose advanced > special window settings.

RazZziel · 2007-07-21 03:15:01

Lone_Wolf wrote:

Kde also can do that , just click the icon at the lef tof the title bar of a window and choose advanced > special window settings.

Indeed it can, and in a very customizable way. Screenshot:

Arch Linux

#1 2007-07-19 02:57:13

Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#2 2007-07-19 03:21:40

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#3 2007-07-19 05:34:43

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#4 2007-07-19 05:57:31

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#5 2007-07-19 06:42:55

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#6 2007-07-19 08:04:58

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#7 2007-07-19 10:12:57

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#8 2007-07-19 12:49:37

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#9 2007-07-19 13:56:02

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#10 2007-07-19 14:08:13

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#11 2007-07-19 14:10:42

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#12 2007-07-19 21:33:52

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#13 2007-07-19 21:48:15

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#14 2007-07-19 22:21:33

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#15 2007-07-19 23:15:05

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#16 2007-07-20 00:09:54

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#17 2007-07-20 02:57:31

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#18 2007-07-20 03:09:09

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#19 2007-07-20 05:59:35

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#20 2007-07-20 09:52:57

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#21 2007-07-20 10:20:25

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#22 2007-07-20 22:11:59

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

#23 2007-07-21 03:15:01

Re: Is there a WM that lets you specify app location & workspace on start?

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