Using Multiple WMs

ncf · 11-03-2005, 07:46 PM

Is there any way to use multiple window managers by simply using startx commands? (i.e., startx -flux)

-Wes

::Edit:: Err, should've been more specific. I ask this because I really don't want to have to do a xwmconfig every time I swicth WMs.... (I use KDE primarily, because this is a multi-user system, but would like to use Fluxbox when doing CPU-intensive tasks--about 50% of the time)
Notably, I would rather not use if blocks to do it.... (maybe even doing a command like WM="fluxbox" startx)

perfect_circle · 11-03-2005, 07:52 PM

Code:

startx /usr/X11R6/bin/fluxbox

Code:

startx /opt/kde/bin/startkde

Seiken · 11-03-2005, 07:53 PM

maybe you could have multiple .xinitrc files in your home dir... name them like .xinitrc-kde and .xinitrc-flux.

then have 2 scripts called startk and startf or something. the startk script would "cp .xinitrc-kde .xinitrc" and then startx. the startk script would "cp .xinitrc-flux .xinitrc" and then startx.

would that work for ya?

edit: it seems the fellow above me has an easier solution

ncf · 11-03-2005, 08:03 PM

Wow...that was suprisingly fast :P

Well, thankee. I was alsow orking on a solution of my own, to try and practice bash, and I ~think~ I may have come up with something decent (although, perfect_circle has a pretty darned good solution...)

I was just about to edit and say that I meant "dont' want to use a lot of if blocks", and this is my conceptual solution (which, IMO, is shit, but I'm looking for all your feedback)

Code:

if [ `echo $WM |wc -c` -le 1 ]; then
        WM="kde";
fi
if [ `whereis start$WM |cut -d':' -f2 |wc -c` -ge 2 ]; then
        start$WM;
else
        echo "Could not find the approiate Window Manager (start$WM)";
fi

gbonvehi · 11-03-2005, 10:00 PM

You solution is fine if it suits your needs, that's the power of making your own scripts

I would rather use something like:

Code:

case "$1" in
        "fluxbox")
                # Start Fluxbox
        ;;
        "kde")
                # Start KDE
        ;;
        *)
                # Start default WM
        ;;
esac

$1 means first command line parameter, so if you give fluxbox as parameter, it will start fluxbox, if you give kde it will start KDE, otherwise, the default one.

If you don't know about it yet, i recommend you this guide: http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/