Gnome desktop advanced features?

I am not a newbie to Linux (Used it since 1995 when I registered
algebra.com), but I am a newbie to gnome desktop. I used fvwm-themes
before.

This fvwm-themes is actually an awesome window manager due to ints
infinite configurability, however, it was not as integrated with the
latest GNOME features as I would like.

So I am testing waters with just pure Gnome desktop.

I have questions, such as:

1) How can I start a shell script on start of X session?

2) How can I start a specific app and assign it to a particular
desktop number?

3) How can I specify window traits. For example, I always want MPLAYER
to be "on top" and "always on visible desktop". How can I specify
that without clicking menu all the time.

4) How can I program keyboard shortcuts, for example a function key to
run a certain shell script

thanks

i

Ignoramus12693 writes:

> I am not a newbie to Linux (Used it since 1995 when I registered
> algebra.com), but I am a newbie to gnome desktop. I used fvwm-themes
> before.

Geez, WAY to much overhead in fvwm-themes for me.
Just plain fvwm2 is fine with me.

> This fvwm-themes is actually an awesome window manager due to ints
> infinite configurability, however, it was not as integrated with the
> latest GNOME features as I would like.

Really, I must be missing something. Like what?

> So I am testing waters with just pure Gnome desktop.
>
> I have questions, such as:
>
> 1) How can I start a shell script on start of X session?
>
> 2) How can I start a specific app and assign it to a particular
> desktop number?
>
> 3) How can I specify window traits. For example, I always want MPLAYER
> to be "on top" and "always on visible desktop". How can I specify
> that without clicking menu all the time.
>
> 4) How can I program keyboard shortcuts, for example a function key to
> run a certain shell script

Pretty sure you'll find all that stuff searching thru the various GUIs
in Gnome. But why bother when you apparently already know how to
do all that stuff with fvwm.

On 2007-10-13, Dan Espen wrote:
> Ignoramus12693 writes:
>
>> I am not a newbie to Linux (Used it since 1995 when I registered
>> algebra.com), but I am a newbie to gnome desktop. I used fvwm-themes
>> before.
>
> Geez, WAY to much overhead in fvwm-themes for me.
> Just plain fvwm2 is fine with me.

I actually agree.

>> This fvwm-themes is actually an awesome window manager due to ints
>> infinite configurability, however, it was not as integrated with the
>> latest GNOME features as I would like.
>
> Really, I must be missing something. Like what?

I tried running it with gnome-panel and always had some weird
gotchas.

If I can resolve them, I can go back to fvwm2.

>> So I am testing waters with just pure Gnome desktop.
>>
>> I have questions, such as:
>>
>> 1) How can I start a shell script on start of X session?
>>
>> 2) How can I start a specific app and assign it to a particular
>> desktop number?
>>
>> 3) How can I specify window traits. For example, I always want MPLAYER
>> to be "on top" and "always on visible desktop". How can I specify
>> that without clicking menu all the time.
>>
>> 4) How can I program keyboard shortcuts, for example a function key to
>> run a certain shell script
>
> Pretty sure you'll find all that stuff searching thru the various GUIs
> in Gnome. But why bother when you apparently already know how to
> do all that stuff with fvwm.

So, you also think that fvwm is better? I ran it for about 11 years,
almost right after I started using linux. I heard that Linux is also
still running it.

I do like gnome-panel and gnome applets. If I can make these two work
together, I will be happy.

i

Ignoramus3531 writes:

> On 2007-10-13, Dan Espen wrote:
>> Ignoramus12693 writes:
>>
>>> I am not a newbie to Linux (Used it since 1995 when I registered
>>> algebra.com), but I am a newbie to gnome desktop. I used fvwm-themes
>>> before.
>>
>> Geez, WAY to much overhead in fvwm-themes for me.
>> Just plain fvwm2 is fine with me.
>
> I actually agree.
>
>>> This fvwm-themes is actually an awesome window manager due to ints
>>> infinite configurability, however, it was not as integrated with the
>>> latest GNOME features as I would like.
>>
>> Really, I must be missing something. Like what?
>
> I tried running it with gnome-panel and always had some weird
> gotchas.
>
> If I can resolve them, I can go back to fvwm2.

It starts for me and seems to work.
Personally I don't like ANYTHING that takes up screen space.
I don't run FvwmPager, I can switch desks and pages just fine without it.
I don't run FvwmTaskBar or FvwmButtons, I can launch things just fine from
keyboard shortcuts or the Fvwm menus.
Basically, the only thing on my desktop is the background image,
a clock, a mail notifier, a perf guage, and icons for minimized apps.

The screenshot is a little misleading, I rarely open more than one window
at a time:

http://www.fvwm.org/screenshots/desk...screenshot.gif

> So, you also think that fvwm is better? I ran it for about 11 years,
> almost right after I started using linux. I heard that Linux is also
> still running it.

Linus? I think he switched, don't know for sure.

> I do like gnome-panel and gnome applets. If I can make these two work
> together, I will be happy.

Well the panel appears to work for me.
I think you need to add ?struts? to the config file to tell fvwm not
to put windows on top of it. Not sure what else.
There's a mailing list and an IRC channel for Fvwm.