IceWM Basic Configuration
PART 1
IceWM is fast, small, stable and uses very little RAM.
It's very configurable and did i mention it was fast?
There are menu ways of configuring IceWM, there are even packages to do this;
i prefer to edit the icewm files, so this is what you'll read here.
INSTALLATION
[code] # slapt-get -u && slapt-get -i icewm
Enable the 'testing' repo and install menumaker (thanks to stretchedthin)
#slapt-get -i menumaker
Then you put it in your .xinitrc or gdm, here's my .xinitrc:
#!/bin/sh
setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp
xsetroot -solid black
xrdb -merge .Xdefaults
setxkbmap es &
unclutter -idle 2 &
numlockx &
exec icewm
Save/exit your editor, and type 'startx' press Enter and you're in the X system.
Now, you could use IceWM as is, no doubt about it, Windows refugees like it for all the wrong reasons, they can point and click to their hearts content and get away with it. But i don't like that, i like to get in trouble, make it even faster
Press the left Windows key and you'll get the Main Menu with what little comes with it. Press the right Windows key and you will see the Windows List.
In the main menu, go to Settings to Focus (i click on Sloppy) and down below, choose your theme.
MENU
MenuMaker is a wonderful tool, it will incorporate many apps in your main menu:
$ mmaker -f icewm
Restart IceWM (press the Windows key + r), if you're a 'furreiner' like me with a non-US keyboard, press the first letter of 'Restart' in your language. To launch the main menu just press the Windows key.
And that's it! You are done and do not have to keep on reading
PART 2
OTOH, there are some other people: geek wannabes, masoquists who like to get in trouble, keybinders, you know what i mean, this section is for you.
First, we create a directory for .icewm, and files for keybindings, window options, preferences, etc.
$ mkdir -p .icewm
Then we create some files:
$ touch .icewm/preferences
$ touch .icewm/keys
$ touch .icewm/prefoverride
$ touch .icewm/winoptions
My purpose is to make the configuration simple and include everything i like.
The global preferences for IceWM are in the file: /usr/share/icewm/preferences, you can copy them to your .icewm/preferences or you do like me, and just copy the ones pertinent to your use. To edit the global file already copied to your .icewm/preferences, uncomment the second line and choose to enable it =1 or disable it =0 Clear as mud?
OK, let's do it: enter .icewm/preferences with your favorite editor, the file will be blank, and copy/paste this:
$ nano .icewm/preferences
##IceWM preferences
OpaqueMove=0
OpaqueResize=0
SmartPlacement=1
MenuMouseTracking=1
ModSuperIsCtrlAlt=1
UseMouseWheel=1
QuickSwitch=1
AutoReloadMenus=1
ShowProgramsMenu=1
ShowThemesMenu=1
ShowHelp=1
TerminalCommand="xterm"
ShutdownCommand="sudo halt -p"
RebootCommand="sudo reboot"
WorkspaceNames=" 1 ", " 2 "
ShowTaskBar=1
TaskBarAutoHide=0
TaskBarShowClock=1
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=1
TaskBarAtTop=0
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=1
TaskBarShowAPMTime=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=1
TaskBarShowWindows=1
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=0
TaskBarShowTray=1
TaskBarShowWindowIcons=0
TaskBarShowCPUStatus=1
TaskBarShowNetStatus=0
TaskBarShowCollapseButton=0
TaskBarWorkspacesLeft=1
TimeFormat="%R"
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=1
TaskBarShowWindowListMenu=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=0
TaskBarMailboxStatusBeepOnNewMail=0
NormalTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-medium-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*- *"
NormalTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"
ActiveTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*-*"
ActiveTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"
You can change these preferences to your own needs.
Next, i do my keybindings (the mouse is too slow)
$ nano .icewm/keys
And paste something like this:
key "Super+a" xterm
key "Super+e" pcmanfm
key "Super+m" claws-mail
key "Super+f" firefox
key "Super+u" xchat
key "Super+l" leafpad
key "Super+o" libreoffice3.5
key "Super+h" sudo halt -p
key "Super+p" sudo reboot
key "Print" xterm -e scrot -cd 10
#Sound volume
key "Super+KP_Divide" amixer -q set PCM 5- unmute # lower volume
key "Super+KP_Multiply" amixer -q set PCM 5+ unmute #increase volume
Super=Mod4=Windows key
I like keybindings, the 'windows' key is great for me, if the app i am going to launch is on the left side of the keyboard (say xterm) then i press the right Windows key and with my left hand, the letter 'a', you get the idea.
Now, the winoptions - which allows me to launch my apps maximized à la Ratpoison
Edit the file .icewm/winoptions and paste this:
xterm.startMaximized: 1
claws-mail.startMaximized: 1
xchat.startMaximized: 1
firefox.startMaximized: 1
pcmanfm.startMaximized: 1
libreoffice.startMaximized:1
Last, but not least, edit the file .icewm/prefoverride, which changes the default keybindings for yours; these are mine:
KeyWinClose="Super+k"
KeyWinMaximize="F12"
KeySysTileHorizontal="Super+F2"
KeySysTileVertical="Super+F3"
Basically, i close my apps with the Windows key and the k key
Maximize any window with F12
Split my screen horizontally by pressing the Windows key plus F2
Split vertically with Windows key plus F3
To get out just maximize both windows with F12
Once you get used to it, you just fly...
I hope this makes your life easier.
macondo
PS: I neglected to mention that IceWM comes by default with Alt-Tab and a Run Box (à la fbrun) just press the Windows key + Space bar and a space will open on the taskbar.
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