Window Manager delimma! TWM is almost perfect, but not quite :(

Question

Hi,
I guess I should start out by saying I'm pretty new to Linux, so I'm not experienced with all the DEs and WMs out there.  I've trief (very briefly) KDE, Xfce, and Openbox, but honestly none of them really got me as excited as TWM.  I've spent hours writing my own .twmrc from scratch, and I love it... unfortunately, there seem to be a few critical things things that TWM just won't do.  These are listed below in descending order of importance to me:
* task-switching (alt+tabbing): I've been able to do something simple with this using f.forwiconmgr to switch focus, and I like it fine; the only problem is that I can't make it raise the windows, too.  I tried a function {f.forwiconmgr f.raise}, but for some reason it would raise the CURRENT window before switching focus to the next.
* maximize (or fullzoom) on double-clicking the titlebar.
* I have one TitleButton which fullzooms on being clicked.  For some reason there's an issue where after clicking it, the next click anywhere in TWM's domain will be ignore and changes the cursor to a tiny mouse icon.  I have no idea why, and I haven't been able to get around it.
* fullzoom margins: I have my icon manager at the bottom of the screen and an xclock, almost like a taskbar which blends in with the background.  I don't like maximized windows blocking them.
* I'd really like to be able to force certain windows to always be in the back.  This is mainly because my icon manager and xclock are colored to look like they're part of the background, but I guess if the previous one is satisfied this becomes less important.
* I can't (or haven't figured out how to) make windows raise to the top when you click within them.  If I write a line to f.raise when clicking in the window, then TWM consumes the click-signal and it never reaches the window.  This is at the bottom because I'm already learning to live with this, and could even see myself starting to appreciate it as a feature before long.
I suppose what I'm asking for is either a solution to these issues with TWM, or suggestions for an alternative WM that will do all of these plus what I like so much about TWM.  Of what I've tried, I liked Openbox the most, but having to customize it in xml and its themes kind of turned me off.  At the bottom you'll find a link to a screenshot of my current TWM setup, just for some idea if what I'm getting at.  I just don't know what to do!  I've become very attached to TWM, but also very put off by its flaws.
Thanks!
http://www.bellsouthpwp.net/C/o/Correct … sariss.png

Answer 1

Hello!
I'm trying TWM.
It's rather interesting.
With my .twmrc, I can switch between windows pressing Alt + F3, and then Alt + F11 or F12 to select which window, and then Alt + F9 to raise it, or Alt + F10 to deiconify it.
If several windows are deiconified, I can switch pressing Alt + F1.
I made several keyboard shortcuts to start programms, to handle windows, etc…
With vdesk I have multiple desktops. I set Ctrl + F1-4 to switch to a desktop to anothers.
I made a menu with some programs I use often, but I must add some programs.
I use slim as login manager. I have the slim picture as background. It's good.
I wonder if I won't continue to use twm. It's rather nice, and well made.
Here is the .twmrc I modified:
# $XConsortium: system.twmrc,v 1.8 91/04/23 21:10:58 gildea Exp $
# A little $HOME/.twmrc by Thomas Eriksson [email protected]
# Modified (just colors and some menu options) by Istvan Keppler [email protected]
# twm... the original and the best...
NoGrabServer
#NoDefaults
RestartPreviousState
DecorateTransients
TitleFont "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*"
ResizeFont "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*"
MenuFont "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*"
IconFont "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-100-*-*-*-*-*-*"
IconManagerFont "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-100-*-*-*"
#ClientBorderWidth 2
BorderWidth 3
ButtonIndent 2
NoHighlight
AutoRelativeResize
#DefaultBackground
FramePadding 0
#ForceIcons
NoRaiseOnMove
OpaqueMove
Zoom 500
# This is for hiding the ugly menubar in windows who dont need em.
NoTitle
# "x11amp" # x11amp, the winamp lookalike, http://x11amp.ml.org.
# "xlogo" # a must have :)
"xosview"
Color
BorderColor "gray85"
DefaultBackground "black"
DefaultForeground "gray85"
TitleBackground "black"
TitleForeground "#4CD49E"
MenuBackground "black"
MenuForeground "gray85"
MenuTitleBackground "gray65"
MenuTitleForeground "black"
IconBackground "black"
IconForeground "white"
IconBorderColor "black"
IconManagerBackground "black"
IconManagerForeground "gray85"
PointerForeground "black"
PointerBackground "white"
# Define some useful functions for motion-based actions.
MoveDelta 1
Function "move-or-lower" { f.move f.deltastop f.lower }
Function "move-or-raise" { f.move f.deltastop f.raise }
Function "move-or-iconify" { f.move f.deltastop f.iconify }
# Set some useful bindings. Sort of uwm-ish, sort of
# simple-button-ish
Button1 = : root : f.menu "prg"
Button2 = : root : f.delete
Button3 = : root : f.menu "window"
Button1 = m : window|icon : f.function "move-or-lower"
Button2 = m : window|icon : f.iconify
Button3 = m : window|icon : f.function "move-or-raise"
Button1 = : title : f.function "move-or-raise"
Button2 = : title : f.raiselower
Button3 = : title : f.iconify
Button1 = : icon : f.function "move-or-iconify"
#Button2 = : icon : f.destroy
Button3 = : icon : f.iconify
Button1 = : iconmgr : f.iconify
Button2 = : iconmgr : f.destroy
Button3 = : iconmgr : f.iconify
"F1" = m : window : f.lower
"F3" = m : all : f.showiconmgr
"F2" = m : all : f.hideiconmgr
"F4" = s : window|icon : f.fullzoom
"F5" = m : window|icon : f.bottomzoom
"F6" = m : window|icon : f.topzoom
"F8" = m : window|icon : f.rightzoom
"F7" = m : window|icon : f.leftzoom
"F9" = m : window|icon : f.raise
"F10" = m : all : f.iconify
"F10" = s : all : f.deiconify
"F11" = m : all : f.downiconmgr
"F12" = m : all : f.upiconmgr
"F4" = m : window|icon : f.delete
"F1" = c : all : f.exec "vdesk 1 &"
"F2" = c : all : f.exec "vdesk 2 &"
"F3" = c : all : f.exec "vdesk 3 &"
"F4" = c : all : f.exec "vdesk 4 &"
"F5" = c : all : f.exec "sakura &"
"F6" = c : all : f.exec "thunar &"
"F7" = c : all : f.exec "icecat &"
"F8" = c : all : f.exec "sylpheed &"
"F9" = c : all : f.exec "gimp &"
"F10" = c : all : f.exec "libreoffice &"
"F11" = c : all : f.exec "scribus &"
"F12" = c : all : f.exec "xclock &"
# This is for the window bar
#LeftTitleButton "/usr/X11/include/bitmaps/checkmark.xbm" = f.delete
#LeftTitleButton "/usr/X11R6/include/X11/bitmaps/xm_noenter16" = f.delete
#RightTitleButton "/usr/X11/include/bitmaps/menu12" = f.resize
IconDirectory "/home/admin/.twm/icons" # Directory for non default icons
RightTitleButton "maximize.xbm"=f.fullzoom
RightTitleButton "close.xbm"=f.delete
# And a menus with the usual things
menu "prg"
"Menu" f.title
#"" f.nop
"Xterm" f.exec "xterm -sl 255 -bg black -fg white -name [email protected] &"
#"Midc" f.exec "xterm -sl 255 -bg black -fg white -e midc -b &"
#"Netscape" f.exec "netscape &"
#"Xosview" f.exec "xosview &"
"" f.nop
"Fichiers" f.menu "fichiers"
"Editeurs" f.menu "editeurs"
"Internet" f.menu "internet"
"Bureautique" f.menu "bureautique"
"Graphisme" f.menu "graphisme"
"Visionneurs" f.menu "visionneurs"
"Musique" f.menu "musique"
"Jeux" f.menu "jeux"
"Utilitaires" f.menu "utilitaires"
"Systeme" f.menu "systeme"
"Eteindre/Redémarrer" f.menu "etredemarrer"
menu "etredemarrer"
"Eteindre/Redémarrer" f.title
"Eteindre" f.exec "gksu xterm halt &"
"Redemarrer" f.exec "gksu xterm reboot &"
menu "fichiers"
"Files" f.title
".twmrc" f.exec "medit .twmrc &"
".xinitrc" f.exec "medit .xinitrc &"
menu "bureautique"
"Bureautique" f.title
"Libre Office" f.exec "libreoffice &"
"scribus" f.exec "scribus &"
"gnumeric" f.exec "gnumeric &"
menu "editeurs"
"Editeurs" f.title
"Mcedit" f.exec "xterm mcedit &"
"nano" f.exec "xterm nano &"
"medit" f.exec "medit &"
menu "systeme"
"Systeme" f.title
"Htop" f.exec "xterm htop &"
"Top" f.exec "xterm -bg black -fg white -e top &"
"gparted" f.exec "gksu gparted &"
"/usr/bin" f.exec "thunar /usr/bin &"
"/etc/rc.conf" f.exec "gksu medit /etc/rc.conf &"
"testdisk" f.exec "gksu xterm photorec &"
"Source /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist" f.exec "gksu medit /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist &"
menu "visionneurs"
"Visionneurs" f.title
"epdfview" f.exec "epdfview &"
"geeqie" f.exec "geeqie &"
"mupdf" f.exec "xterm mupdf &"
menu "internet"
"Internet" f.title
"icecat" f.exec "icecat &"
"midori" f.exec "midori &"
"elinks" f.exec "xterm elinks &"
"w3m" f.exec "xterm w3m http://www.scroogle.fr &"
"netrik" f.exec "netrik http://www.scroogle.fr &"
"Lynx" f.exec "xterm -bg black -fg white -e lynx &"
"sylpheed" f.exec "sylpheed &"
"skype" f.exec "skype &"
"icecat" f.exec "icecat &"
"deluge" f.exec "deluge &"
menu "ppp"
"PPP" f.title
"Linkup" f.exec "pppd &"
"Hang up" f.exec "ppp-off &"
menu "graphisme"
"Graphisme" f.title
"inkscape" f.exec "inkscape &"
"Gimp" f.exec "gimp &"
menu "musique"
"Music" f.title
"CdPlayer" f.exec "xterm -bg black -fg white -e cd-console &"
"Mp3Blaster" f.exec "xterm -bg black -fg white -e mp3blaster &"
"RealPlayer" f.exec "/usr/home/keppler/RealPlayer8/realplay &"
"Xmovie" f.exec "xmovie &"
#"X11amp" f.exec "x11amp &"
#"Workman" f.exec "workman &"
"vlc" f.exec "vlc &"
menu "jeux"
"Games" f.title
"Xboard" f.exec "xboard -rv &"
menu "utilitaires"
"Utilitaires" f.title
"Corbeille" f.exec "thunar trash:/// &"
"Thunar" f.exec "thunar &"
"Xcalc" f.exec "xcalc &"
"alsamixer" f.exec "alsamixer &"
"terminal Sakura" f.exec "sakura &"
"calc" f.exec "xterm calc &"
"qalculate" f.exec "qalculate-gtk &"
"truecrypt" f.exec "truecrypt &"
"scrot" f.exec "xterm scrot -d 20 &"
"xarchiver" f.exec "xarchiver &"
"xclock" f.exec "xclock &"
menu "window"
"Menu twm" f.title
"forcer à quitter" f.destroy
"Delete Window" f.delete
"" f.nop
"Maximize" f.fullzoom
"Minimize" f.iconify
#"Resize" f.resize
"Move" f.move
#"Raise" f.raise
#"Lower" f.lower
"" f.nop
"Focus" f.focus
"Unfocus" f.unfocus
"Show Iconmgr" f.showiconmgr
"Hide Iconmgr" f.hideiconmgr
"" f.nop
"Screensaver" f.menu "screensaver"
"Redraw" f.refresh
"Restart" f.restart
"Quit" f.menu "quit"
menu "quit"
"Really Quit?" f.title
"No" f.nop
"Yes" f.quit
menu "screensaver"
"ZZzz..." f.title
"Laser" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode laser &"
"Qix" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode qix &"
"Star trek" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode star &"
"Galaxy" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode galaxy -wireframe&"
"Pyrotechnical" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode pyro -wireframe &"
"Swarm" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode swarm &"
"Linux" f.exec "xlock -nolock -mode flag &"
Icons
"XTerm" "/usr/X11R6/include/X11/bitmaps/Term"
"x11amp" "/usr/include/X11/bitmaps/xfm_au.xbm"
Cursors
Frame "left_ptr"
Title "left_ptr"
Icon "left_ptr"
IconMgr "left_ptr"
Move "fleur"
Resize "fleur"
Menu "hand1"
Button "hand2"
Wait "clock"
Select "dot"
Destroy "pirate"