cdollar
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GNOME and Sawfish in Redhat 8.0
Does anyone know how to change GNOME's window manager in Redhat 8.0? I would like to use sawfish, which GNOME in Redhat 8.0 does not use as default. I have downloaded the Sawfish rpm package and installed it, and I can start an X session directly into Sawfish, but I can't seem to figure out how to make GNOME use Sawfish as its window manager. My Redhat 7.3 machines have a "window-manager" switching program, but I can't find its 8.0 equivilent.
One thing I tried that did not work was starting a Sawfish X session and then issuing the "gnome-session" command from a terminal in the Sawfish session, with the hopes of them being able to save the session settings. It gave an error saying that there was already a window manager open.
Any ideas??
One thing I tried that did not work was starting a Sawfish X session and then issuing the "gnome-session" command from a terminal in the Sawfish session, with the hopes of them being able to save the session settings. It gave an error saying that there was already a window manager open.
Any ideas??
ASKER
I can change the values for the key successfully (even as root) but when I log back in it changes the value back to /usr/bin/metacity.
ASKER
I can change the values for the key successfully (even as root) but when I log back in it changes the value back to /usr/bin/metacity.
I'm guessing that it is saving the result when you exit gnome. Try changing your desktop to something else (or just using a plain WM - maybe even don't bother with a WM and just use gconf-editor) and then making the change. Then log out, set your WM as gnome again and log and back in.
NB: This is done on a per user basis, running as root will just set it up for root.
NB: This is done on a per user basis, running as root will just set it up for root.
What is wrong with using "The Hat"->Settings->Control Panel->Extra Programs->Sessions"? You should be able to remove metacity from "this session", and add sawfish (with prio 20) in the "Start command" tab, logging out and saving the session, then logging in...?
I haven't tested this heavily, but it should Just Work:-).
The strings in the above might be different, I wouldn't know the exact english labels etc since I'm in a swedish locale.
-- Glenn
I haven't tested this heavily, but it should Just Work:-).
The strings in the above might be different, I wouldn't know the exact english labels etc since I'm in a swedish locale.
-- Glenn
ASKER
I tried the changes to gconf with another window manager, but it still didn't like the settings. And under "sessions" when I would remove metacity from the session it would lose the gnome menu and all windows.
But I think I have it figured out.
From what I can tell, Gnome doesn't want to run without an active window manager, so killing metacity only results in metacity restarting once Gnome realizes that it doesn't have a window manager. To get arount this, I used the gnome-system-monitor to find metacity's process id, went to a terminal and issued the command 'kill 0000; /usr/bin/sawfish &' (where 0000 is the pid number). This killed metacity and immediately started sawfish before metacity could be restarted by Gnome. Then I issued 'gnome-session-save' to save the settings with sawfish. When I closed the terminal window that I had issued all the commands from, it also killed sawfish, and I was fordced to do a reboot. But this time the settings saved, and I now have sawfish working correctly.
But I think I have it figured out.
From what I can tell, Gnome doesn't want to run without an active window manager, so killing metacity only results in metacity restarting once Gnome realizes that it doesn't have a window manager. To get arount this, I used the gnome-system-monitor to find metacity's process id, went to a terminal and issued the command 'kill 0000; /usr/bin/sawfish &' (where 0000 is the pid number). This killed metacity and immediately started sawfish before metacity could be restarted by Gnome. Then I issued 'gnome-session-save' to save the settings with sawfish. When I closed the terminal window that I had issued all the commands from, it also killed sawfish, and I was fordced to do a reboot. But this time the settings saved, and I now have sawfish working correctly.
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ASKER
Yes, that seems to do the job too. There has to be a better way, though.
For instance, when I made it back in my office and got to a "fast" computer, it took me multiple tries before I could get sawfish to start before Gnome tried to start metacity again. I did get it to work, but it took killing the process 3 times before it worked. I know there has to be a better way... or mabye Redhat left the window-manager changer out for some reason I don't know about.
Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions... I never could have come to this solution without them.
For instance, when I made it back in my office and got to a "fast" computer, it took me multiple tries before I could get sawfish to start before Gnome tried to start metacity again. I did get it to work, but it took killing the process 3 times before it worked. I know there has to be a better way... or mabye Redhat left the window-manager changer out for some reason I don't know about.
Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions... I never could have come to this solution without them.
If you set metacity to "Normal" first (and "apply" it) it shouldn't keep on restarting it.
Might be worth a try.
-- Glenn
Might be worth a try.
-- Glenn
ASKER
Yes, that seems to do the job too. There has to be a better way, though.
For instance, when I made it back in my office and got to a "fast" computer, it took me multiple tries before I could get sawfish to start before Gnome tried to start metacity again. I did get it to work, but it took killing the process 3 times before it worked. I know there has to be a better way... or mabye Redhat left the window-manager changer out for some reason I don't know about.
Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions... I never could have come to this solution without them.
For instance, when I made it back in my office and got to a "fast" computer, it took me multiple tries before I could get sawfish to start before Gnome tried to start metacity again. I did get it to work, but it took killing the process 3 times before it worked. I know there has to be a better way... or mabye Redhat left the window-manager changer out for some reason I don't know about.
Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions... I never could have come to this solution without them.
Why so complicated?
Make sure you have installed sawfish-2.0-4.rpm from RedHat,
and then add this line in $HOME/.bash_profile
export WINDOW_MANAGER="sawfish";
Log off, log in and: Hop!, like a charm :)
The line can be in any of your init scripts, as long as this
is executed before a WM is chosen. Same applies if you want
to make it system-wide available.
/Lantolin
Make sure you have installed sawfish-2.0-4.rpm from RedHat,
and then add this line in $HOME/.bash_profile
export WINDOW_MANAGER="sawfish";
Log off, log in and: Hop!, like a charm :)
The line can be in any of your init scripts, as long as this
is executed before a WM is chosen. Same applies if you want
to make it system-wide available.
/Lantolin
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Run "gconf-editor"
In the tree to the left go to: "/desktop/gnome/applicatio
In the window to the top double click on "default"
Enter the path to the window manager you want.