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List:       fvwm95
Subject:    Re: [FVWM95] Basic Configuration Questions
From:       hhv <h.vossieck () ndh ! net>
Date:       1999-03-17 2:57:00
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"Robert E. Smullen" wrote:
> 
> I have been using FVWM95 for about a year.  I am not quite sure how I
> got it all to work, and so now I want to actually take the time to
> examine all of the various configuration files that assist in installing
> and running Xfree86 and fvwm95.
> 
> I originally installed Linux from a Red Hat CD Release 4.0, which
> installed whatever version of Xfree86 that came with it.  In time, I
> upgraded to version 3.3.1 of Xfree86 after downloading it.  Then I
> downloaded "fvwm95-2.0.43a-Autoconf" and by using various sample
> configuration files, that either came with these downloads or with the
> Red Hat installation of Linux, I somehow managed to get a usable version
> of my windows manager up and running.  The problem is that I am not
> really sure how it works or even if I am in fact running the version of
> fvwm95 that I downloaded.  To help clarify these matters I have
> simplified my config files in my home directory.
> 
> The first thing that I notice is that if I have a simple  .xinitrc file
> in my home directory and I include the one line: "exec fvwm95-2", then
> something fires up, but if instead, I include the line "exec fvwm95"
> then I basically get a message telling me that "fvwm95" does not exist.
> So my first question is, given that I downloaded
> fvwm95-2.0.43a-Autoconf, and followed all of the installation steps,
> 
> 1. what is the name of the fvwm95 "program" for this download? That is,
> what should I place in my .xinitrc file in my home directory to start my
> windows manager?

The fvwm95 or fvwm95-2 binary is normally called fvwm95 and resides in 
/usr/X11/bin. 

> 2. What exactly is fvwm95-2 versus fvwm95 and are these executables or
> scripts or what?
> 
> 3. How can I tell which version of fvwm95 is actually running, when a
> version is running?

Issue the command 'fvwm95 -version'. That will tell you. On my system it says:

   ... Fvwm95 Version 2.0.43a compiled ...

In order to see what fvwm95-2 actually is, do:

   type -a fvwm95-2          This will give you the path, if
                             it is in the path.
 
   file <path>/fvwm95-2      This will tell you if it is an exe-
                             cutable, a link, a shell script ...

Alternatively you could use the command

   file `whereis fvwm95-2`   The quotes must be _back_quotes_
                             However, this won't find it in unusual
                             locations, because whereis only uses
                             comoiled-in paths.

If all else fails or in case you don't have 'file' or 'whereis', use
'locate fvwm95-2' to find it. The last resort is find /usr -name fvwm95-2.

But, I've never seen such thing. I only have a link fvwm95-2 which points to
the directory /usr/X11/lib/X11/fvwm95
 
> 4. Where is fvwm95 suppose to be installed?  As I recall, the
> installation script placed the files without any prompting from me, so
> perhaps I am missing some links or something?

In /usr/X11/bin
 
> 5. I think that the .fvwm95rc config file in my home directory is not
> being used by my windows manager.  How can I tell which config file is
> being used by my currently running windows manager?

Normally, when starting fvwm95 looks for .fvwm95rc un your homedirectory or
in /usr/X11/lib/X11/fvwm95/ or a system.fvwm95rc in the latter directory.
If it finds something it executes the internal command 'Read <..../fvwm95rc>'.
You can change this behaviour by invoking fvwm95 with e.g.

    exec fvwm95 -cmd "Read <your configfile>"    or
    exec fvwm95 -f   "Read <your configfile>"
 
> 6. Are they any good books out there on fvem95?   Something that might
> help a novice like myself without much of a Unix background?  I know
> that the O'Reilly series of books has been quite helpful to me on
> related subjects.  Is there anything like that or good sources of data
> on the Internet?

I don't know of any books about fvwm95. But - what about the man page?
It's quite good and really worth reading it. 

The directory /usr/X11/lib/X11/fvwm95/docs or /usr/doc/packages/fvwm95
provides additional information. You could also read any info about fvwm2
you can find. It should be widely applicable, as fvwm95 is a modified
fvwm2. Presumably there's lots of additional info on the net. No need to
buy books.

The paths mentioned above may be slightly different for you because we have
different distributions (SuSE 6.0 here). But I hope I have at least pointed
you in the right direction.

Henning


> 
> Thanks to all for any help.
> 
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-- 
  H. Henning Vossieck - h.vossieck@ndh.net - http://www.ndh.net/home/vossieck/
   49 2291 3010/6519
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