How to switch the window manager

[Juanma Barranquero]

Warning: Newbie question ahead :)

I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).

Well, I've had no trouble getting it with

sudo apt-get install enlightenment

but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?

Thanks,
/L/e/k/t/u

[Joseph Seaton]

Can you select Enlightenment from the GDM login screen (Session button)?
If so, you can just click 'make default' when you login

Personally I find (on Debian at least) that it does not list
Enlightenment... can't help there unfortunately...

Post by Juanma Barranquero
Warning: Newbie question ahead :)
I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).
Well, I've had no trouble getting it with
sudo apt-get install enlightenment
but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?
Thanks,
/L/e/k/t/u
--
ubuntu-users mailing list
ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/a4da78a7/attachment.html>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Joseph Seaton
Can you select Enlightenment from the GDM login screen (Session button)?
If so, you can just click 'make default' when you login

The Session button shows only "last", "default system session",
"GNOME", "failsafe GNOME" and "failsafe terminal".

/L/e/k/t/u

[Lee Braiden]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
Warning: Newbie question ahead :)
I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).
Well, I've had no trouble getting it with
sudo apt-get install enlightenment
but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?

It's in the menu when you are about to finish logging in with GDM.

I would recommend using Sawfish/Sawmill though, if you're unhappy with
Metacity. Most GNOME people used that previously, and it's still sort of
recognised as the "featureful" metacity. Pre-E17 enlightenment is pretty old
these days. Last time I used it seriously was was way back at GNOME 1.2 or
something like that.

p.s.: KDE's window manager is VERY powerful, and integrated with the rest of
the desktop ;)

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Lee Braiden
It's in the menu when you are about to finish logging in with GDM.

Well, it is not, I don't know why.

Post by Lee Braiden
I would recommend using Sawfish/Sawmill though, if you're unhappy with
Metacity. Most GNOME people used that previously, and it's still sort of
recognised as the "featureful" metacity.

Thanks, I'll give it a try too.

Post by Lee Braiden
Pre-E17 enlightenment is pretty old these days.

I don't want to install a beta window manager, interesting as E17
seems to be, so E16 is like a stopgap measure. But I will try other
window managers before settling on one (assuming I can get them
running :-)

Post by Lee Braiden
p.s.: KDE's window manager is VERY powerful, and integrated with the
rest of the desktop ;)

To tell the truth, I *did* try the KDE/KWin combo (I installed
kubuntu-desktop for a while). Nice but... *very* unstable to me. Half
the time, kdesu refused to give me access to the control panel items
(it just failed, with no message; it was not an issue of me getting
the password wrong), and I had a very big problem with kbuildsycoca,
which ran every two/three seconds and dumped a bunch of warnings on
.xsession-errors about some packages having declared unrecognized mime
types.

I would've loved for KDE to work right, but it was unusable. After a
little while, the sound of the hard disk when kbuildsycoca started was
getting on my nerves :-)

(Now, if someone knows how to fix that problem, I would be willing to
give KDE another try, of course; I asked on kubuntu-users and got no
answer, though, so I kind of assumed is not a common problem.)

/L/e/k/t/u

[Lee Braiden]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
To tell the truth, I *did* try the KDE/KWin combo (I installed
kubuntu-desktop for a while). Nice but... *very* unstable to me. Half
the time, kdesu refused to give me access to the control panel items
(it just failed, with no message; it was not an issue of me getting
the password wrong)

Yeah, I've noticed that too. It seems to be an ubuntu issue (probably due to
their sudo vs. su hacks). Debian never did that on me.

Post by Juanma Barranquero
and I had a very big problem with kbuildsycoca,
which ran every two/three seconds and dumped a bunch of warnings on
.xsession-errors about some packages having declared unrecognized mime
types.

Sorry, don't know anything about that. Works fine for me.
--
Lee Braiden
http://www.DigitalUnleashed.com
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/c2b56a3a/attachment.pgp>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Lee Braiden
Yeah, I've noticed that too.

Well, I'm glad at least one of the issues is known and hopefully will be fixed.

Post by Lee Braiden
It seems to be an ubuntu issue
(probably due to their sudo vs. su hacks).

Much as I'm liking K?Ubuntu, I'd rather they used a more normal security setup.

Post by Lee Braiden
Sorry, don't know anything about that. Works fine for me.

Well, thanks anyway.

I've just installed sawfish, let's hope this one can be accessed from
the Sessions menu ;-)

/L/e/k/t/u

[Lee Braiden]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
I've just installed sawfish, let's hope this one can be accessed from
the Sessions menu ;-)

Window managers aren't desktop sessions. Just start gnome normally, and then
look at changing your window manager. I don't use GNOME, but you may be able
to do it through the GNOME registry thing (what's that called, again? ;), or
through the session control applet.
--
Lee Braiden
http://www.DigitalUnleashed.com
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/5ea1dad4/attachment.pgp>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Lee Braiden
Just start gnome normally, and then
look at changing your window manager.
I don't use GNOME, but you may be able
to do it through the GNOME registry thing (what's that called, again? ;), > or through the session control applet.

I had already looked at every single gconf thing I could find, to no avail.

Now I've tried to use the session control applet, removing the running
window manager and running sawfish (luckily I had a terminal open),
and it's working... but that's hardly a good interface at all. Either
there must be an easier way, or a FAQ/guide entry waiting to be
written somewhere :)

Well, at least I can now try a few WM.

Thanks for helping,

/L/e/k/t/u

[Michael R Head]

Post by Juanma Barranquero

Post by Lee Braiden
Just start gnome normally, and then
look at changing your window manager.
I don't use GNOME, but you may be able
to do it through the GNOME registry thing (what's that called, again? ;), > or through the session control applet.

I had already looked at every single gconf thing I could find, to no avail.
Now I've tried to use the session control applet, removing the running
window manager and running sawfish (luckily I had a terminal open),
and it's working... but that's hardly a good interface at all. Either
there must be an easier way, or a FAQ/guide entry waiting to be
written somewhere :)

Fire up a terminal and the Sessions preferences applet. Select the
Current Session tab and click on metacity, then click on Remove and
Apply. Then move the mouse to the terminal window and type 'sawfish'.

mike

Post by Juanma Barranquero
Well, at least I can now try a few WM.
Thanks for helping,
/L/e/k/t/u

--
Michael R Head <burner at suppressingfire.org>
GPG: http://www.suppressingfire.org/~burner/gpg.key.txt (ID 23A02B1F)
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/c00e0db2/attachment.pgp>

[Cybe R. Wizard]

On Sun, 4 Sep 2005 20:41:39 +0200

Post by Juanma Barranquero
I had already looked at every single gconf thing I could find, to no avail.
Now I've tried to use the session control applet, removing the running
window manager and running sawfish (luckily I had a terminal open),
and it's working... but that's hardly a good interface at all. Either
there must be an easier way, or a FAQ/guide entry waiting to be
written somewhere :)
Well, at least I can now try a few WM.

Do you have menu installed? If so, open a terminal and type:
update-menus

At least it works for menus within the WM, it might work for gdm, too.

Cybe R. Wizard

[Magnus Therning]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).
Well, I've had no trouble getting it with
sudo apt-get install enlightenment
but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?

From reading the thread so far it looks like you want to run GNOME with
another window manager. This is how I changed the default WM in my
setups:

1. Open System->Preferences->Sessions. Navigate the to tab "Current
Session" and change the style of the metacity process to "Normal".
Apply and close.

2. Open a terminal and execute

$ pkill metacity; sleep 3; /usr/bin/enlightenment

This should kill metacity and then start enlightenment after a short
wait. Leave the terminal window open (killing it will probably kill
enlightenment).

3. Log out and save the session (take a look at the "Session Options"
tab in System->Preferences->Sessions if you don't know what I'm
talking about).

4. Login again. This time enlightenment should be your window manager.
Again open the Sessions applet and make sure that enlightenment is
set to "Restart" on the "Current Session" tab.

(5. Next time you log out, choose to save session again, if you want to
get rid of the terminal window. :-)

/M
--
Magnus Therning (OpenPGP: 0xAB4DFBA4)
magnus at therning.org
http://therning.org/magnus

Software is not manufactured, it is something you write and publish.
Keep Europe free from software patents, we do not want censorship
by patent law on written works.

I would point out that linked lists, mark-and-copy garbage collection, and
the Tab key are all patented too. Somebody who always carefully checked
first for software patents would never write anything at all.
-- Martin Pool, in the rsync FAQ
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/839ca1db/attachment.pgp>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Well, seems like the way to do it is indeed to kill metacity and add
the desired window manager to the current session. Weird, though. I
would have expected a more polished way to switch WMs.

Still, thanks a lot, Michael and Magnus, it is working now.

And BTW, I think I don't like Enlightenment after all. Sawfish looks
more promising, as does WindowMaker.

I've got a weird feeling, though, that I'll end using KDE if/when I
can sort out my problems with kbuildsycoca.

/L/e/k/t/u

[Kent Nyberg]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
Well, seems like the way to do it is indeed to kill metacity and add
the desired window manager to the current session. Weird, though. I
would have expected a more polished way to switch WMs.
Still, thanks a lot, Michael and Magnus, it is working now.
And BTW, I think I don't like Enlightenment after all. Sawfish looks
more promising, as does WindowMaker.
I've got a weird feeling, though, that I'll end using KDE if/when I
can sort out my problems with kbuildsycoca.
/L/e/k/t/u

There is a better way. As for "polished", that I cant say.
Personally I do not think the interface should by default let the user
do stuff like changing windowmanager, in some way, the user should not
even have to care about it.

Those who want to change windowmanager, can ask on mailinglist/google,
where he or she will be told its fixable in gconf.

Go to the main menu.
Program->System Tools ->Gconf.
Its translated into another label, but its the one with the red icon.
Perhaps called configuration/settingsblaha or something in english.

When its started, go to Desktop->Gnome->Application->Window_manager
And from there, you can change windowmanager to something else, like
sawfish.

Its nothing you can find as easy as clicking on "1000 settings for your
windowmanager", but its doable for those who really want to I guess.

Hopefully you will understand me. If not, ask again. :)
English is not my first language.
--
MSN: nyberg.kent at spray.se
ICQ: 145375073
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: Detta ?r en digitalt signerad meddelandedel
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/d70508ce/attachment.pgp>

[Magnus Therning]

[..]

Post by Kent Nyberg
Go to the main menu.
Program->System Tools ->Gconf.
Its translated into another label, but its the one with the red icon.
Perhaps called configuration/settingsblaha or something in english.
When its started, go to Desktop->Gnome->Application->Window_manager
And from there, you can change windowmanager to something else, like
sawfish.

I've seen that GConf key as well, but whenever I've tried using it I
failed. Absolutely nothing happened. No matter how many times I logged
out, or rebooted... nothing! (I don't remember what GNOME version I
tried it on last though.)

So, I've stuck to the whole kill-wm-start-another routine, since it's
always been successful.

/M
--
Magnus Therning (OpenPGP: 0xAB4DFBA4)
magnus at therning.org
http://therning.org/magnus

Software is not manufactured, it is something you write and publish.
Keep Europe free from software patents, we do not want censorship
by patent law on written works.

Beauty is more important in computing than anywhere else in technology
because software is so complicated. Beauty is the ultimate defence
against complexity.
-- David Gelernter
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/94cf5614/attachment.pgp>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Kent Nyberg
Go to the main menu.
Program->System Tools ->Gconf.
When its started, go to Desktop->Gnome->Application->Window_manager
And from there, you can change windowmanager to something else, like
sawfish.

I already had tried that. It didn't work. In fact, it doesn't seem to
make any difference, either the value of the current or defaul window
manager.

Thanks,

/L/e/k/t/u

[Magnus Therning]

On Sun, Sep 04, 2005 at 10:23:25PM +0200, Juanma Barranquero wrote:
[..]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
And BTW, I think I don't like Enlightenment after all. Sawfish looks
more promising, as does WindowMaker.

I can recommend OpenBox.

/M
--
Magnus Therning (OpenPGP: 0xAB4DFBA4)
magnus at therning.org
http://therning.org/magnus

Software is not manufactured, it is something you write and publish.
Keep Europe free from software patents, we do not want censorship
by patent law on written works.

God created the integers, all else is the work of man.
-- Leopold Kronecker
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050904/4199021b/attachment.pgp>

[Juanma Barranquero]

Post by Magnus Therning
I can recommend OpenBox.

I'll give it a try, too.

Thanks,
/L/e/k/t/u

[Karl Hegbloom]

Post by Juanma Barranquero
I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).
Well, I've had no trouble getting it with
sudo apt-get install enlightenment
but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?

Open [System --> Preferences --> Sessions], and then in the "Current
Session" tab, find 'metacity' and highlight it with a mouse click. Set
its style to "normal", then click the "Apply" button.

Open a terminal emulator, and run this command, substituting the command
name of your chosen window manager where I have chosen Sawfish below:

killall metacity && sawfish </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 & disown %1; gnome-session-save

Click "Ok" on the dialog box. It is now running your chosen window
manager, and that change should remain when you next log in.

[vignesh m]

I thought we have to edit the .xinitrc file.Can that be done.How many
windows managers can one have.Can someone help me install FVWM in Ubuntu.
Cheers !
Vignesh

Post by Karl Hegbloom

Post by Juanma Barranquero
I'm using Ubuntu, and I'm reasonably happy with Gnome but metacity is
really a bit short on features, so I'm giving a try to Enlightenment
(DR16, the just-a-window-manager version, not the shinny but yet
unfinished DR17, total-windowing-environment one).
Well, I've had no trouble getting it with
sudo apt-get install enlightenment
but, what do I do now to convince GDM that I want to use Enlightenment
as default window manager?

Open [System --> Preferences --> Sessions], and then in the "Current
Session" tab, find 'metacity' and highlight it with a mouse click. Set
its style to "normal", then click the "Apply" button.
Open a terminal emulator, and run this command, substituting the command
killall metacity && sawfish </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 & disown %1; gnome-session-save
Click "Ok" on the dialog box. It is now running your chosen window
manager, and that change should remain when you next log in.
--
Karl Hegbloom <hegbloom at pdx.edu>
--
ubuntu-users mailing list
ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20051003/b0c645ff/attachment.html>