CrunchBang Linux

cmay

Member

Registered: 2009-01-13

Posts: 21

switch windows manager from openbox menu

I have configured openbox on crunch bang 9.04 as I like it to be. except one thing I cant figure out how to do.

I use other windows managers as well and In twm there is the menu item called windows managers which you can switch to a other windows manager from the twm menu.

I would like to be able to do that from openbox so I have a menu under exit that allows me to switch to dwm twm fvwm jwm or iceWM from within the openbox menu..

I know it could  be done under puppy linux that allowed the user to switch from fluxbox to jwm back and forth.

anyone knows how to do this ?

thanks.

anonymous

The Mystery Member

From: Arch Linux Forums

Registered: 2008-11-29

Posts: 8,928

Re: switch windows manager from openbox menu

For the menu item put a command like "openbox --replace" (to switch to openbox). I think the other window managers may have similar commands; read their man pages.

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david

Member

Registered: 2009-01-06

Posts: 30

Website

Re: switch windows manager from openbox menu

If you use "metacity --replace" (for example) when openbox is managing your session it will crash your x session.

I believe the way to do it is:

<item label="Pekwm">
<action name="restart">
<command>
pekwm
</command>
</action>
</item>

But I have never tried, so I am guessing, well mikachu told me ;)  Does it work?

cmay

Member

Registered: 2009-01-13

Posts: 21

Re: switch windows manager from openbox menu

i tried some different things but all i get is errors. i just saw the new posts so i did not try that yet.
from openbox --replace from dwm which i use a lot lately i get the error

cmay@MyCrunch:~/videos$ openbox --replace
Openbox-Message: A window manager is already running on screen 0
cmay@MyCrunch:~/videos$ 

all other things i tried just results in login out an getting to the gdm login screen. I just remembered that puppy linux does work as root and there is as far as i know no gdm login on that . so i imagine it takes root privileges to switch windows environments this way. which is the only i have not tried to do yet. it would not be any good solution either so i did not try it.

Digit

#! Die Hard

From: the internet

Registered: 2009-05-26

Posts: 979

Website

Re: switch windows manager from openbox menu

anyone know how to switch to xmonad from openbox?

same question for dwm too.

i saw dwm in the debian menu, but i dont know how to delve into the debian menu to see what it's actually up to.

~edit, oh, in a way it seems i have it the wrong way around...
can just start dwm or xmonad, and they take over...
its the openbox --replace that seems to fall short in taking charge from xmonad.

~edit2
openbox --replace gives:
"Openbox-Message: A window manager is already running on screen 0"
   methinks i need XMonad.Util.Replace

Last edited by Digit (2010-10-21 17:44:16)

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