[SOLVED] Xmonad error when trying to compile the default xmonad.hs

Question

Hey,
if I copy the configuration file in /usr/share/xmonad-0.11/man/xmonad.hs,
I get the following error
Error detected while loading xmonad configuration file: /home/me/.xmonad/xmonad.hs
xmonad.hs:132:64: Not in scope: `help'
Please check the file for errors.
xmonad: xmessage: executeFile: does not exist (No such file or directory)
The offending line is
-- Run xmessage with a summary of the default keybindings (useful for beginners)
, ((modMask .|. shiftMask, xK_slash ), spawn ("echo \"" ++ help ++ "\" | xmessage -file -"))
I don't really need that particular keybinding but nevertheless I would like to know what's happening here.
Last edited by Aton (2013-04-10 11:33:51)

Answer 1

as for what's happening: help is just not defined.
judging from the code you are trying to use, it is supposed to be a string. and indeed http://xmonad.org/xmonad-docs/xmonad/sr … Config.htm
defines
help :: String
help = unlines ["The default modifier key is 'alt'. Default keybindings:",
"-- launching and killing programs",
"mod-Shift-Enter Launch xterminal",
"mod-p Launch dmenu",
"mod-Shift-p Launch gmrun",
"mod-Shift-c Close/kill the focused window",
"mod-Space Rotate through the available layout algorithms",
"mod-Shift-Space Reset the layouts on the current workSpace to default",
"mod-n Resize/refresh viewed windows to the correct size",
"-- move focus up or down the window stack",
"mod-Tab Move focus to the next window",
"mod-Shift-Tab Move focus to the previous window",
"mod-j Move focus to the next window",
"mod-k Move focus to the previous window",
"mod-m Move focus to the master window",
"-- modifying the window order",
"mod-Return Swap the focused window and the master window",
"mod-Shift-j Swap the focused window with the next window",
"mod-Shift-k Swap the focused window with the previous window",
"-- resizing the master/slave ratio",
"mod-h Shrink the master area",
"mod-l Expand the master area",
"-- floating layer support",
"mod-t Push window back into tiling; unfloat and re-tile it",
"-- increase or decrease number of windows in the master area",
"mod-comma (mod-,) Increment the number of windows in the master area",
"mod-period (mod-.) Deincrement the number of windows in the master area",
"-- quit, or restart",
"mod-Shift-q Quit xmonad",
"mod-q Restart xmonad",
"mod-[1..9] Switch to workSpace N",
"-- Workspaces & screens",
"mod-Shift-[1..9] Move client to workspace N",
"mod-{w,e,r} Switch to physical/Xinerama screens 1, 2, or 3",
"mod-Shift-{w,e,r} Move client to screen 1, 2, or 3",
"-- Mouse bindings: default actions bound to mouse events",
"mod-button1 Set the window to floating mode and move by dragging",
"mod-button2 Raise the window to the top of the stack",
"mod-button3 Set the window to floating mode and resize by dragging"]