IceWM FAQ and Howto: Example: configuration A-Z

Next Previous Contents

## 10. Example: configuration A-Z

This is sample of possible configuration you need to do to have IceWM running with all you need. Following applies for RedHat(9). Placement of files can be bit different.

## 10.1 X window login

To have possibility to switch to IceWM in GDM greeter (after start to runlevel 5 = Xwindow), then you need to do following things:

- Add to `/etc/X11/gdm/Sessions/` (gdm is default greeter) file `IceWM` with content

  > `

  >       #!/bin/bash
  >       exec /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession icewm

  > `

- Modify `/etc/X11/xdm/Xsession` to understand what "icewm" is (this is not necessary)
- Add to `/usr/share/apps/switchdesk/` file `Xclients.icewm` with content

  > `

  >       #!/bin/bash
  >       exec /usr/local/bin/icewm-session

  > `

## 10.2 IceWM configuration

To configure all of IceWM options go to sections about configuration.

Generally all you need to customize IceWM globaly, is to edit `/usr/local/share/icewm/preferences` etc.

## 10.3 Additional applications

### Icons on desktop

Usually people want to have icons on desktop. One of most simple applications that can satisfy this need is `idesk` (see Tools to find it). I personaly recommend to use 0.3.x version - this has almost no requirements and is really simple.

Configuration of idesk is almost as easy as configuration of IceWM, but has one disadvantage: idesk does not have in version 0.3.x global configuration file - therefore each user needs to have proper configuration file in his/her home.

To configure idesk you need to:

- Add `~/.ideskrc` file with content like this

  > `

  >     table Config
  >       FontName: Helvetica
  >       FontSize: 9
  >       FontColor: #ffffff
  >       PaddingX: 35
  >       PaddingY: 25
  >       Locked: true
  >       HighContrast: false
  >       Transparency: 50
  >       Shadow: true
  >       ShadowColor: #000000
  >       ShadowX: 1
  >       ShadowY: 1
  >       Bold: false
  >     end

  > `

- Add `~/.idesktop` directory
- Add `whatever.lnk` files into it, with content like this

  > `

  >     table Icon
  >       Caption: Mozilla
  >       Command: mozilla
  >       Icon: /usr/share/pixmaps/mozilla-icon.png
  >       X: 22
  >       Y: 13
  >     end

  > `

- Do not forget you need to start idesk at the beginning of the session. Best to achieve this is using your `~/.icewm/startup` file (for details see Configuration section). In case of idesk you can add line:

  > `

  >     idesk > /dev/null & # start idesk - desktop icon manager

  > `

### Control tools

To have some "control center" like application you can use Vadim A. Khohlov's `icecc` - IceWM Control center. (see Tools to find it) His utility is also very simple, fast and has editors for all of the IceWM options.

To integrate it into menu you have to edit `/usr/local/share/icewm/menu` and add there line like this

> `

>     prog "Control Center" "icecc_icon" icecc

> `

Please note that icecc needs some other programs like gvim and python to work properly.

Next Previous Contents