4.16. Window Style Manager

Abstract

In the beginning, this GUI tool has been exact copy of the CDE Window Style Manager. In a way, this was bad. While providing exact copy of the same named CDE tool. It was ignoring the fact we are using FVWM as a WM and framework for NsCDE, and FVWM has couple hundred more options, and it is tens times more powerful than CDE's dtwm, and probably the main reason for combining CDE look and (partially) feel of CDE with powerful new functionalities which are provided by FVWM and some 3rd party programs.

On the other hand, writing a tool that will handle ALL fvwm options and write that in FvwmScript which not much a powerful language can easily contain tens of thousands lines of code, and yet be buggy and probably some things will be impossible to do. Even then, it will be burden for users to use and almost completely avoided.

A middle solution was provided: all from CDE original dialog, plus some similar extended FVWM options, on the first tab, and other important configurations on the rest three tabs. Tabs are implemented as popup menu on the top right side of the window - choosing an option from that menu changes displayed options - a poor man's tabs in a way. Some of options provided by Window Style Manager are not full set of this options if configured manually in FVWM configuration, but for needs of CDE clone this is more than enough.

4.16.1. Configuration Section: Window Behavior

  • Only Pointer Inside Window Makes Focus: this configures so called MouseFocus as catch-all FVWM Style (*). See fvwm(1) for MouseFocus.

  • Point In Window To Make Active: this is FVWM SloppyFocus Style option. This is default focus style. If you want more CDE behavior, select MouseFocus option above. In SloppyFocus mode, pointer will make focus on window while entering it, but will not lose focus while leaving the window. See fvwm(1) for SloppyFocus.

  • Click In Window To Make Active: self-explanatory. This is FVWM's ClickToFocus style.

  • Raise Window When Made Active: self explanatory. If selected, focused window will be raised. This option will enable FvwmAuto module instance with -mfocus option. See fvwm(1) and FvwmAuto(1).

  • Allow Primary Windows On Top: this will allow window to lower it's transient windows (popups and such). See fvwm(1) for RaiseTransient and DontRaiseTransient styles.

  • Lower Transient With Primary Window: self explanatory. See fvwm(1) for LowerTransient and DontLowerTransient

  • Raise/Lower Primaries With Transients: if transient windows are raised or lowered, primary windows goes with them. See fvwm(1) for StackTransientParent and DontStackTransientParent style options.

  • Show Contents During Move: weather window contents is visible or not during window move. Default is a transparent frame with a grid. See fvwm(1) for OpaqueMoveSize.

  • Time After Which Active Window Is Raised: if Raise Window When Made Active is turned on, this option will be enabled and time in milliseconds can be set here. See FvwmAuto(1).

  • Manual Window Movement Threshold: see fvwm(1) for a MoveThreshold option. 5 pixels is the default.

4.16.2. Configuration Section: Window Icons

  • Use Icon Box: if this option is selected, main FVWM configuration in NsCDE-Main.conf will spawn FvwmIconBox configured as close as possible as an alternative to icons of iconified windows. Classic icons will be disabled. The rest of options in this "tab" will be disabled because they do not apply anymore in this configuration. Note: FvwmIconBox has not exactly the same functionality as CDE's Icon Box.

  • Place On Workspace: default. Icons of the windows will be placed on the screen. By default, from top left to the direction bottom left.

  • Place Icons Left/Right from Bottom/Top to Top/Bottom: this four exclusive options will direct icon placement on the screen. See IconBox and IconFill options in fvwm(1) for more information.

  • Default Icon Size: in pixels. See IconSize in fvwm(1).

  • Maximum Icon Size: in pixels. See IconSIze in fvwm(1).

4.16.3. Configuration Section: Page Edges

  • Raise Front Panel On Page Change: as is says, when current active page changes, Front Panel will be raised.

  • Pager Preview On Page Change: on page change, spawn a small transient FVWM pager called LocalPager on the top center of the screen to indicate what is on the current page in the workspace - this is controlled by the FVWM infostore variable pageshowrootpager in the $FVWM_USERDIR/NsCDE.conf

  • Disable Page Change On Screen Edge: if selected, current page will not change when pointer is longer time on the screen edge. In this mode, active page must be changed by other means (keyboard shortcuts, WSM submenus, PGM, left click on 1st titlebar button ...)

  • Page Change On Screen Edge (1px): default internal detector of the screen edge. Do not change this if it is working.

  • Page Change On Screen Edge (2px) If FVWM has a problem with X server and page change does not work smooth, use this option as a safe alternative. See fvwm(1).

  • Page Edge Resistance: how many milliseconds FVWM waits on the screen edge area for an page change action to be taken. Default is 380.

  • Edge Window Move Resistance: similar as Page Edge Resistance, but for move operation - how hard it should be to move a window between pages. Defaults to 80 pixels.

  • Edge Window Move Delay: time to wait to consider moved window for page change in the first place (to start counting pixels of the Edge Window Move Resistance). Defaults to 320 pixels.

4.16.4. Configuration Section: Animation

This tab controls behavior of the FvwmAnimate. See FvwmAnimate(1).

  • Animate Window Iconification: on/off of the FvwmAnimate module.

  • Animation Effect: See FvwmAnimate(1)

  • Animation Frame Delay: See FvwmAnimate(1)

  • Animation Revolution Twist: See FvwmAnimate(1)

  • Outline Width: See FvwmAnimate(1)

  • Animation Iterations: See FvwmAnimate(1), be careful on virtual displays with a bad video driver. It can behave really slower than on host system with the same parameters.

4.16.5. Misc Window Style Manager Functions

Button Default on the top right edge of the window will read system defaults into options and they will be set in permanent configuration if OK button is pressed afterwards.

OK button applies changes to $FVWM_USERDIR/NsCDE.conf. Dismiss button will close the window without making any changes.

Key Bindings:

  • Escape: Quits Window Style Manager.

  • Ctrl+Q: Quits Window Style Manager.

  • Sun Help and F1: Displays this help text.