Re: how to start fvwm from the console command line?

[Lee]

On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 09:04:01AM -0700, stan wrote:
> I'm looking at alternative window managers to Gnome fallback, the only
> Gnome my old hardware and work preference will support.  The more I
> investigate fvwm, the more it seems like a nice stable,
> extremely configurable solution to my problem.  The modular concept is
> great, and the ability to program behavior in a scripting language and
> interface seemlessly to the wm seems like a nice idea too.  Sure, there
> is a learning curve, and no GUI configuration, but I can come to my
> perfect setup, and won't need to worry about dependency on the latest
> bee someone has in their bonnet about what constitutes a modern GUI.
> Well, at least until I updgrade my hardware, and maybe not even then.
>
> There is a problem though.  How do I start fvwm from a console?  What
> is the command for fvwm corresponding to startx or startxfce4?  I found 
> XSESSION=fvwm2 startx -- :1 vt11
> and that works, but seems to just start the regular Gnome fallback
> mode that startx by itself does.  Maybe this is so well known that no
> one bothers documenting it, but I couldn't find it on the web.
>
> Anyone have an answer?

Not familiar with fvwm, but I have 4 wm's that I run on a regular basis, and
what I have done is make a little shell script:

#!/bin/bash
#Window Manager Chooser Script
XINIT=/home/rh/.xinitrc
if [ -e "$XINIT" ]; then
    rm /home/rh/.xinitrc
     else
        echo '*** No .xinitrc found; will create new one.'
    fi
echo -e "\n"
echo -e "\n"
echo Hello, $USER! Which WM will it be this time?
echo -e "\n"
echo 'FBOX (type 'fb'); E17 (type 'e'); OPENBOX (type 'ob'); XTERM (type 'xt'):'
echo 'Type Ctl-C or "quit" to exit.'
read WMGR
if    [	"$WMGR" = fb ]; then
    echo 'exec startfluxbox' >> /home/rh/.xinitrc
    echo 'Starting Fluxbox...'
    sleep 3
    startx
    exit 1
    elif    [ "$WMGR" = ob ]; then
        echo 'exec openbox-session' >> /home/rh/.xinitrc
        echo 'Starting Openbox...'
        sleep 3
        startx
        exit 1        
    elif   [ "$WMGR" = e ]; then
        echo 'xset b off s 10000 -dpms &' >> /home/rh/.xinitrc
        echo 'exec enlightenment_start' >> /home/rh/.xinitrc
        echo 'Starting E17...'
        sleep 3
        startx
        exit 1
    elif   [ "$WMGR" = xt ]; then
        echo 'exec xterm' >> /home/rh/.xinitrc
    echo 'Starting X with xterm...'
    sleep 3
    startx
    exit 1
    else
        echo 'Exiting...'
        exit 1
fi
  fi

I don't know if this answers your question, but maybe it helps. :)

Terry