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Changing your Window Manager

chwm stands for `Change Window Manager'. It is a script which helps you change your window manager permanently. At the basic level, it will save a back up copy of your .xsession file called .xsession_old (if you already have one), and then create a new .xsession file, configured for your new window manager.

To run chwm, you can select `Change Permanently' in the `Switch' item of your main menu (most window managers support this feature) or you can type the following at your prompt:

% chwm

chwm gives you a choice of 7 window managers for use within the CSE system. They are:

1. fluxbox -- Modern, sleek and lightweight. It tries to leave you with as much screen space to yourself as possible. It is the default window manager described further in section 4.6.1 on page .
2. twm -- A simple Tab Window Manager for the X Window System, described further in section 4.6.2 on page .
3. fvwm2 -- Version 2 of fvwm, which provides a 3-D look to window frames and a simple virtual desktop.
4. ctwm -- twm with several virtual screens (workspaces).
5. wmaker -- X11 window manager with a NeXTSTEP look described further in section 4.6.3 on page .
6. startkde -- A windows-like GUI for Xpwd described further in section 4.6.4 on page .
7. gnome-session -- The GNOME Desktop Environment works in concert with a window manager to provide extra functionality.

When you start up chwm, choose the number of the window manger you wish to use. chwm will then set up all the files needed to run that window manger.

Though chwm will only change your .xsession file, some of the window managers might require resource files to be created.

Feel free to experiment with the different window managers available. Do note that gnome-session (GNOME) and startkde (KDE) are large window managers which require a lot of disk space and CPU time to run. So, if you are Disk or CPU limited, we would recommend you use another window manager.

If you would like to switch back to your old .xsession, type:

% rm .xsession
% mv .xsession_old .xsession

This will remove your current .xsession and re-instate your old .xsession. Please not that the above command will not remove any settings files or directories created by your current window manager. In most cases this will not prove to be an issue except when the KDE window manager is used. To remove all KDE directories and settings files, run the command:

% cleankde

For more information on changing your window manager see http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/faq/questions/account-windowmgr.html.

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