Quickstep into Windowlab ======================== Windowlab is a lean window manager, suitable for the connoisseur! These are quick words on the basic usage of Windowlab. Windowlab uses a narrow, protected strip at the upper edge, where a task bar and a menu bar alternate in using the reserved space. It is not possible for a window client to overlap into that area. Normally the task bar occupies the space, but by pressing the right mouse button (button event 3) the menu bar appears. Once the pointer enters the menu bar it cannot escape. Upon release of the button, the indicated command will be effectuated, or none if no action was highlighted. Tapping on a client will give it the focus, but not raising it. It is grabbed for movement by double tapping at the title bar. Alternatively, it is possible to rotate between the clients by pressing Alt-Tab or Alt-Q, each fetching and focussing on the next client, but stepping in opposite directions. The order is reflected in the task bar, with Alt-Tab moving leftwards, and Alt-Q rightwards. Each one is continuing at the opposite screen edge in case of wrapping. The content of the menu bar is determined by ~/.windowlab/windowlab.menurc /etc/X11/windowlab/windowlab.menurc the first taking precedence. Each line in these consists of two entries separated by a colon: # title:action Terminal:mrxvt -showmenu -xft The first entry being the name to be shown, and the second entry providing the command action. A comment must use a hash character in the leftmost position. Among other entries, this package includes, as of 1.37, one menu entry named "Reload", which simply sends a SIGHUP to Windowlab, thus triggering a reload of the resource file. On its own, Windowlab does not offer virtual desktops, but by installing the Debian package "vdesk", this feature is very easily implemented. All it takes are two new menu entries: # Enhancement to # ~/.windowlab/windowlab.menurc # Go to 1:vdesk 1 Go to 2:vdesk 2 By itself, Vdesk starts its numbering at cipher one, and it uses positive integers. One caveat is that Windowlab is not yet taking the membership of a client to a particular virtual desktop into account, so the client rotation and task bar clicking simply bring the desired client into view, possibly moving it to the present desk! Windowlab is conceived to be straight- forward, not convoluted! Mon, Oct 16th, 22:57:44 CET 2009 Mats Erik Andersson