KDE Window Manager Help

This help documentation updated Feb. 8, 1997 for kwm v0.4

Introduction
Installation
Using kwm
The CHANGES file
Bugs
ToDo
Development

Introduction

Kwm is the X-Windows window manager for the KDE project. Aside from the normal window management activities it performs, kwm can support an arbitrary number of virtual desktops, though up through version 0.4 you can only access the first four of these "Pages" from the View menu. Kwm has full graphical customization plus the KConfig standard configuration file '.kwmrc' which is human readable and editable. This help file is written for kwm-0.4, which is still ALPHA software.

Installation

Kwm version 0.4 requires Qt 1.0 or later and kdelib 0.6 or later.

As with all K Desktop Environment applications you must have the QTDIR and KDEDIR environment variables set to compile and install kwm. If you want to use the included linux x86 pre-compiled binary you can simply type

    make install
Otherwise check the Makefile over, then
    make
    make install


Make install will install the following files:

    (KDEDIR)/bin
             kwm
	     acli
    (KDEDIR)/doc/HTML
             kwmhelp.html
	     CHANGES.html
    (KDEDIR)/lib/pics
             close.xbm
	     maximize.xbm
	     minimize.xbm
	     pindown.xbm
	     pinup.xbm

    
Using kwm

The kwm menubar

The menubar is a failsafe device.  It exists to make every function of
the window manager available to the user in the absence of nicer GUI 
devices.  There aren't any hidden options that you can get only through
config files or command line arguments and not through the menubar.
(Though, of course, it may be a lot easier to do so if you know what you
are doing.  For detailed info see the Development section below.)



The File menu


Run
 
       Launch acli, a one line command prompt with history.
Restart

       Restart kwm.
Exit
       Exit kwm.




The View menu

From this menu you can choose one of four Virtual Desktops.  



The Windows menu

From this menu you can bring up any running window.  Minimized windows
will be unminimized onto the current Desktop.  Unminimized windows are
raised to the top.  If you select an unminimized window on another
Desktop, you will automatically be switched to that Desktop and the
window you selected will be raised.



The Options menu


Transparent Move

       Windows appear as an outline when moved.
Opaque Move

       The entire window is shown while it is being moved.
TitleBar

       This brings up the Titlebar Options dialog.  Still
       under construction, but it gives you a lot of power.

V0.4 Note:  The only way to guarantee that your options are saved
is to exit kwm from the File menu and then restart.



The Help menu


Uhhh... Right here, dude.  But for those interested in the
details this selection performs
    kdehelp (KDEDIR)/doc/HTML/kdehelp.html




Window Frames

The Title Bar

Pointer Control

These controls are effective on any part of the frame, though
they are included under the titlebar section as it is most common.

First Button (LMB)

       Raises window.
Second Button (MMB)

       Lowers window.
Third Button (RMB)

       Operations Popup Menu.
    
    (Un-) Minimize

    
Iconify

    
Move

           Move pointer to move origin, then drag.  Gives you a 
	   little more range.
    
Reshape

           Draw bounding box for window to fill.
    
Destroy

           This is NOT the same as the close button or
	   quitting an application normally.  It's just a last
	   resort for a window that doesn't respond politely.  It will
	   destroy the frame (and you won't see the application),
	   but the process is not stopped.
    

The window can be moved by dragging the colored titlebar area.
The window can be resized by dragging the lower right corner.


Title Buttons

Default Buttons:

Close

       Closes the window.
Sticky

       Makes the window 'sticky.' Sticky windows appear on all
       Virtual Desktops.
Minimize

       Minimizes the window.  Minimized windows do not appear on the
       desktop.  You can unminimize the window by selecting it from
       the Windows menu and presumably from the kpanel
       (not supported as of v0.4)
(Un)Maximize

       Maximizing the window resizes it to fill the entire screen.
       When kpanel support is added, this button will resize the
       window to take up all desktop area except where the kpanel
       is, with an option to override and fill the entire screen.



To-Do
 Integrate and communicate with other K Applications esp. kpanel.
    
 Fix some races.
    
 Fix problem with some shaped windows
    
 Complete configuration options.
    
 Keyboard Accelerators.
    
 Root menus.


Development

KConfig internals

This section will be moved to its own page.  It describes the
meaning of all supported KConfig entries and how to manually
configure them.



Authors

Since v0.1, kwm has been developed by 
Brian H. Cooper.  Kwm v0.1 was Matthias Ettrich's WM using Qt and based 
on 9wm by David Hogan.



****************************************************************

Versions 0.2.x Copyright 1996, Brian Cooper
Versions after 0.3.0 Copyright 1997, Brian Cooper
This program comes with NO WARRANTY of any kind.

Permission is granted to all sentient beings to use this software,
to make copies of it, and to distribute those copies, provided that:
	
      (1) the copyright and licence notices are left intact
      (2) the recipients are aware that it is free software
      (3) any unapproved changes in functionality are either
              (i) only distributed as patches or
              (ii) distributed as a new program which is not called kwm or 
                   9wm and whose documentation gives credit where it is due
      (4) the author is not held responsible for any defects
          or shortcomings in the software, or damages caused by it.

****************************************************************




This help file maintained by 
Brian Cooper - cooperb@er4.eng.ohio-state.edu

KDE Window Manager Help

Contents

Introduction

Installation

Using kwm

To-Do

Development