Re: [wmii] getting started (confused)

On Mon, Mar 03, 2008 at 02:49:56AM +0900, sqweek wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 2, 2008 at 3:42 AM, David Morris <lists_AT_morris-clan.net> wrote:
> > 1. wmiirc and rc.wmii
> > This has me the most perplexed....why two configuration
> > files with overlapping functionality? Are they both used,
> > or only one? If only one, how is the correct config file
> > chosen.
>
> rc.wmii is the preferred config, but since it is written in rc and
> depends on plan 9 tools, wmiirc (written in sh and depends on unix
> tools) is also provided.
> Only one is used. the magic to select the right one happens in
> startwmiirc, which runs wmii9rc to look for an installation of plan 9
> tools and runs rc.wmii if found, otherwise wmiirc. However, rc.wmii
> needs plan 9's "read", which I'm pretty sure is not included in any
> released version of 9base (9base is not well maintained, I recommend
> plan9port). In this situation, rc.wmii bails and runs wmiirc instead.
> You should also get a message to that effect, if you have xmessage
> installed.

Thanks, that clears up a lot of my questions on the subject.

I don't get a window warning me about the error (I do have
xmessage installed), but I do see a console message to the
effect that 'read' is missing. In spite of this, wmii does
use rc.wmii and rc.wmii.local when it starts up.

I downloaded plan9port from http://swtch.com/plan9port,
however it does not compile. Looks like I have to join yet
another mailing list if I want to get that fixed, but on the
off chance anyone here can help, this is the error I get:

    * Resetting /usr/local/plan9/config
    * Running on Linux: checking for NPTL...
            NPTL found.
    * Building everything (be patient)...
>>> cd /usr/local/plan9/src/cmd; mk all
    9 yacc -d -s bc bc.y
     fatal error:can't create , <nil>:1
    mk: 9 yacc -d ... : exit status=exit(1)
    mk: for i in ... : exit status=exit(1)

> > 2. How do I set a color scheme?
> > I put the following lines in my rc.wmii.local file:
> >
> > wmiifocuscol=`{echo '#ffffff #153F1F #2A7F3F'}
> > wmiinormcol =`{echo '#222222 #5FBF77 #2A7F3F'}
> > wmiibackground='#333333'
>
> Odd way of doing it. Why not follow the examples in themes?

I tried using the example in the themes, but I was at a
complete loss on how to make use of the generated
information. I created the script on the web page, fixed
the location of plan9 rc application, fixed the start of the
line to be #!, and all it does is give meaningless output.

What does one do with that? Should the output of the script
be placed in the wmiirc file? Nope, that doesn't work. In
an rc.wmii file? I couldn't figure out how to make
rc.wmii.local use the script, and it is absurd to have to
manually run that script just to change theme information.

In the end, I looked at rc.wmii and found it sets colors by
the simple expedient of setting three variables. No extra
script needed.

Seems a FAR more sensible solution to me. The only thing
that could be better is a stand-alone script that could be
called from a command-line, or a menu to select the current
theme within wmii.....but I'm not up to creating either yet
as it all is based around plan9 stuff I'm not familiar with.

> > 4. How can I set the layout for one full-width window
> > at the bottom of the screen and multiple columns above
> > it (usually two)?
>
> Use the floating layer.

Can you elaborate on this a bit? I haven't been able to
prevent a floating window from blocking non-floating
windows.

--David
Received on Sun Mar 02 2008 - 20:21:45 UTC