IceWM FAQ and Howto

Adam Pribyl, [email protected],

Markus Ackermann, [email protected],
Josef 'Jupp' Schugt, [email protected]

1. General FAQ - ReadMeFirst

• 1.1 Fulltext search
• 1.2 The most Frequently Asked Questions with short answers

2. Introduction

• 2.1 What is IceWM?
• 2.2 Where to get it?
• 2.3 Under which operating systems does it run?
• 2.4 Minimal Requirements

3. Installation

• 3.1 How to install IceWM from RPM
• 3.2 How to compile and install IceWM from source?
• 3.3 How to make IceWM my default window manager?

4. Configuration

• 4.1 You mean I have to edit these files?
• 4.2 Where are the configuration files?
• 4.3 The configuration files

5. Customizing The Behavior

• 5.1 What are the focus models good for?
• 5.2 Use UseRootButtons and ButtonRaiseMask
• 5.3 Set the mouse button a menu which is bound to
• 5.4 Setting the lock command
• 5.5 Can the taskbar applet monitor ethernet (or isdn) instead of my modem?
• 5.6 Can the taskbar applet monitor more devices?
• 5.7 I'd like to check remote mailboxes with the taskbar mail applet

6. Control The Look and Behavior Of Applications

• 6.1 Assign an option to a given application
• 6.2 How do I make a window stay on top?
• 6.3 Have windows iconified/maximized as soon they are mapped
• 6.4 How to make windows appear on certain workspace?

7. Using IceWM With The Keyboard

• 7.1 Basic predefined keyboard shortcuts
• 7.2 Switching Desktop using keyboard
• 7.3 Moving windows between desktops using keyboard
• 7.4 Using the CLI (command line interface)

8. Customizing The Look Through Themes

• 8.1 What image formats can I use with IceWM?
• 8.2 Setting background color/image
• 8.3 Setting the clock format
• 8.4 I have more icons to add
• 8.5 How to learn making themes for IceWM?

9. Miscellaneous Questions

• 9.1 What does Logout(Cancel) Command do?
• 9.2 What is the blank field in the task bar good for?
• 9.3 How to keep IceWM from grabbing keystrokes
• 9.4 How to lock the screen
• 9.5 Does IceWM support session management?
• 9.6 Can I have icons on the desktop?
• 9.7 Why doesn't IceWM accept my background image/color?
• 9.8 Can I have bigger icons in menu, taskbar, quickswitch etc.?
• 9.9 How can I translate IceWM into my language?

10. Example: configuration A-Z

• 10.1 X window login
• 10.2 IceWM configuration
• 10.3 Additional applications

11. Tools for IceWM

• 11.1 IcePref
• 11.2 IcePref2
• 11.3 IceME
• 11.4 IceWM Control Panel
• 11.5 IceWM Control Center
• 11.6 IceWMConf
• 11.7 IceWO
• 11.8 IceMC
• 11.9 MenuMaker
• 11.10 IDesk
• 11.11 DFM

12. Bugs and Problems

• 12.1 IceWM ignores my color settings
• 12.2 Programs are missing in the menus
• 12.3 IceWM maximizes windows over the GNOME panel
• 12.4 The IceWM binaries are very big
• 12.5 Screen locking doesn't work
• 12.6 Background does not show up
• 12.7 Icon tray does not work
• 12.8 IceWM does not respect my font settings

13. Sources of information

• 13.1 web pages
• 13.2 mailing lists
• 13.3 IRC channel

14. License

Appendix

15. Recent Changes to this document