3.0 Questions:
These are the common questions most users will ask while using or installing Windowmaker
3.1 What is Window Maker?
As stated on the Official Window Maker web site, 'Window Maker is an X11 window manager designed to give additional integration support for GNUstep applications. It tries to emulate the elegant look and feel of the NeXTSTEP(tm) GUI. It is relatively fast, feature rich, and easy to configure and use.' It has been created and remains to be maintained by Alfredo K. Kojima.
3.2 What does Window Maker look like?
Window Maker was designed to look and feel like 'OpenStep(tm)' and 'NeXTSTEP(tm)' with extra
enhancements and features. Here are sone URL's with screenshots available. Each screenshot can, and usually does, look different.
Window Maker is extremely configurable and can be made to look like just about anything you want.
WM themes.org - http://wm.themes.org
Various Screen shots - http://www.windowmaker.org/screenshots.html
3.3 Where can I get the latest Window Maker?
The following table shows where and how to get Window Maker in various formats:
| Official Source Code* | CVS Snapshots* | RPM's** |
| via HTTP | via CVS Snapshot | Pre-Compiled Binaries*** |
| via FTP | RPMfind.net | |
| FalseHope FTP |
** You will most likely not get the latest version via RPM. You'll have better luck getting a newer version by going to RPMfind.net.
*** Our channel does not 'officially' support the use of pre-compiled binaries or unstable/development sources. This does not necessarily mean that you will be unable to get help though.
Window Maker requires libPropList, which you should download from Window Maker. It is highly recommended that you install the version available at Window Maker because rumor has it that there are many different versions of these libs on the net due to people modifying them to fit the needs of their software. It is guaranteed that the version obtained from Window Maker will work. Thus, our channel will not support the use of the libs from other sources.
3.4 How do I install Window Maker?
Note: These instructions are not a replacement for reading the documentation included in what you downloaded. If you
do not read that documentation, you are not and will not be supported in #windowmaker. If what you downloaded does not have documentation
available, then you do not need to install it. Any app that has no documentation is something that none of the ops in #windowmaker will use.
lipPropList.tar.gz from Window Maker
Window Maker.xx.x.tar.gz
Window Maker Extras tarball
| Step 1: Installing libPropList | tar zxvf libPropList*.tar.gz |
| cd libPropList* |
| ./configure; make |
| make install | Step 2: Installing Window Maker | mv Window Maker-extra-*.tar.gz /usr/local/share/ |
| cd /usr/local/share/ |
| tar zxvf Window Maker-extra-*.tar.gz |
| cd; tar zxvf Window Maker-*.tar.gz |
| cd Window Maker-* |
| ./configure [options]; make |
| make install | Step 3: Installing Window Maker Extras (optional) |
cd /usr/local/share/Window Maker-extra-* |
| ./configure; make |
| make install |
The above table shows the general directions in compiling and installing Window Maker and the appropriate Libraries. As stated before, these
are basic instructions. It is important to note that some of the above steps may, and probably will, require root access. Keep this in mind as you
perform each step.
Each build may be different on a per machine basis. Discussed below are some switches you may wish to use when configuring Window Maker
and preparing to compile it.
As Linux popularity continues to climb, the popularity of some desktop environments climb as well. A couple of the most popular desktop
environments are KDE, Gnome, and OpenLook. Window Maker supports the use of these desktop environments and support for them can be
configured prior to compiling. If you use app built for KDE and Gnome, you should consider compiling support for them into the binary.
The switches used on the configure command line to enable these items are listed below:
Gnome support: --enable-gnome
OpenLook support: --enable-openlook
The command line would look something like this: './configure --enable-kde --enable-gnome'. You should consult the Window Maker documentation to learn the many configure options you can choose to enable/disable.
The proceeding process will install Window Maker and it's appropriate/related binaries into /usr/local/bin. Once you have completed the above steps, Window Maker has been completely installed. The only step left is to run the wmaker.inst binary to configure Window Maker to be your default window manager.
During the process of running this binary, you may be asked a series of questions. It is basically setting up $HOME/GNUstep. Saying 'yes' or 'no' to these questions may or may not affect you. This depends on what types of things you will use your machine for. If you are unfamiliar with Window Maker, the easier route is to answer 'yes' to all the questions.
Once this binary has completed running, you will be presented with one last question/statement. This is simply asking for the file name which it needs to edit to have Window Maker start as the default window manager. This file, on a Linux system, is typically .xinitrc, but not always. After the file has been edited to include exec /usr/local/bin/wmaker, you are now ready to restart X. Log out of X to console, then open X again, you should now be in Window Maker.
3.5 Can I still run all my X apps in Window Maker?
Window Maker is just like any other Window Manager, it will still run your KDE apps, Gnome apps, and other X11 programs. Window Maker
just gives the desktop a different look, a different way to present applications. Make sure Window Maker has kde and/or gnome support compiled
in, if you want to use kde/gnome related programs (ref question 3.4).
How do I know what modules my installation has support for? This can be easily found by doing: right mouse click|Info|Info Panel.
You will see a box similar to the one shown below.
3.6 How do I get rid of those Application Icons?
There are 2 ways to remove those application Icons, that clutter up your desktop.
Method 1: Rightmouse on titlebar of window|Attributes|Application Specific and select No App Icon so that there is a checkmark
in the box. This is only effective for that application, not others.
Method 2: Use your favorite text editor and edit ~/GNUstep/Defaults/WMWindowAttributes and include 'NoAppIcon = Yes' next to the
application. For example:
panel.Panel = {NoAppIcon = Yes;};
rxvt.XTerm = {Icon = "gnome-term-linux.png";NoAppIcon = Yes;};
Should you find that you need assistance with the above, feel free to ask about it in #windowmaker.
- 3.7 Where can I get some Dock apps?
Check out the links page for resources to get Dock Apps from.
http://freshmeat.net/appindex/x11/window%20maker%20applets.html
3.8 Why Window Maker?
Many choose Window Maker for several reasons including, but not limited to, the following:
*It's very customisable in the way it operates and looks
*It just flat looks better than most window managers
*There are tons of apps and dockapps available for it
*It has support for multiple desktop environments
Why not download it and give it a try for yourself?
3.9 Can I run Window Maker under Windows?
No, Plain and simple, Window Maker is a unix program, though it could be possible if you had a X server for Win32, if you're willing to pay
money for it. There is another option called Litestep. Which gives Windows Users a Free Window Maker/openstep type desktop. It maybe a little
slow for some users, we suggest you use linux.
3.10 How do I configure "X option" in Window Maker?
There are 2 GUI configuration tools available for Window Maker, both are very good and well supported, and have many options available: WPrefs is standard in Window Maker, and then we have WMakerconf, which sports a very nice GTK interface and has a lot more features to customize Window Maker to your tastes. We recommend WMakerconf.
NOTE: you may need to update WMakerconf when updating Window Maker and LibPropList.
3.11 How do I install a theme and load it?
All Window Makers themes are stored in your home directory
download the theme, and place the file in that directory, the theme should have its own directory name, just move the theme so that it has its own directory (if it doesnt have the correct path or directory)
So you have just installed this wicked new theme, so how do you load it?
GNOME or KDE may interfere with your Background, just switch there Background off via there desktop interface.
- 3.12 Other Links to Window Maker specific WWW sites.
If you have a question that is not on here, try these links.
Changelog
000522 - I start work on the #windowmaker faq, Rules and Questions are included.
000524 - Revision 1 from FreakZz (vrwmiller@earthlink.net), Minor clean up to questions
000528 - Revision 2 from FreakZz (vrwmiller@earthlink.net), Moving from abiword to html (very big job)
000529 - Added Contents, This Changelog :), Links within Contents and Titles, Minor Glitches in html formatting
000530 - Final editing before channel review