Arch Linux

matthewbauer

Member

From: /usa/ks

Registered: 2009-07-20

Posts: 86

Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

How can I run programs after the Window Manager starts? Just adding an & to the end of $DEFAULT_SESSION will make it so you can't log out properly. Also X will exit if you add an & to all of the commands because it has nothing to run. Does anyone have tricks around this?

matthew@laptop> cat ~/.xinitrc
DEFAULT_SESSION=openbox
EXEC=exec

case $1 in
    '') $EXEC $DEFAULT_SESSION;;
    *) $EXEC $1;;
esac

#xscreensaver -no-splash &
#xsetroot -solid black
#xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr

#xbindkeys &

#xwinwrap -ni -argb -fs -s -st -sp -a -nf -- mplayer ~/Videos/background -loop 0 -wid WID &

#xcompmgr &
 
#avant-window-navigator

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Libertarian Arch Linux User

chpln

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2009-09-17

Posts: 361

Re: Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

Why do you need to run these after the WM?  Run anything you want (started in the background if needed), then start the WM afterwards.

mikesd

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2008-02-01

Posts: 788

Website

Re: Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

I use:

xmonad &
pid=$!

SSH_ASKPASS='/usr/lib/openssh/x11-ssh-askpass' ssh-add < /dev/null

status-bars.py &

wait $pid

I start my wm before I run x11-ssh-askpass as if I don't, the x11-ssh-askpass window spans my dual monitors and looks untidy. By loading the wm first it appears on screen 1 only. I found this technique on the fluxbox webpage.

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Rasi

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2007-08-14

Posts: 1,914

Website

Re: Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

you can use a sleep command:

(sleep 2 && COMMAND) &

Last edited by Rasi (2009-11-21 10:04:34)

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tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

Openbox has ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh script for stuff that has to start after the WM. This is covered in the wiki's Openbox page.

matthewbauer

Member

From: /usa/ks

Registered: 2009-07-20

Posts: 86

Re: Running Programs after Window Manager starts in Xinitrc

Openbox has ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh script for stuff that has to start after the WM. This is covered in the wiki's Openbox page.

I could use that, the only problem is that I like to switch WMs every once and a while. So I'd like it done through the xinitrc.

mikesd's solution seems to have worked, thanks.

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Libertarian Arch Linux User