Subject: FVWM: Help with fvwm upgrade!

From: Jack Zhu <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 1997 05:41:39 -0400

Hi:

I'm a beginner of LInux. I use redhat 4.1, 2.0.27. fvwm is 2.0.41.

Now I download the fvwm 2.0.46,  then I use the following commands to
compile:

1. ./MakeMakefiles
2.  make
3.   make install
4.  make install.man

Are they correct?

Now I re-start x-windows, but I don't know whether I am running fvwm .41

or .46 version. Any idea?

THe most important is: do I have to replace, or edit some files to make
my upgradation work? You know, I'm comfused by so many config files, and

nobody tell me the details.

ANother question: I found some fvwm config files in internet make the
screen look great, so I also want to download it and replace my old one.

But I really don't know which old file should be replaced, and what's
the path of the old file! Just few weeks for LInux world!!

PLease help me!! Thank you very very much!!

PLease e-mail me! More details appreciate!!

[email-masked]

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---

From: "Patrick K." <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 1997 12:25:01 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Jack,

Sometime in the late 1900s you wrote:

jz> I'm a beginner of LInux. I use redhat 4.1, 2.0.27. fvwm is 2.0.41.

   Well first off Welcome to Linux.  I must mention that I am not a
   RedHat user so I have no clue as to how RedHat's RPM works with
   upgrades.  Maybe someone else using RedHat or more familiar with
   it could explain more for you.

jz> Now I download the fvwm 2.0.46,  then I use the following commands to
jz> compile:
jz> 
jz> 1. ./MakeMakefiles
jz> 2.  make
jz> 3.   make install
jz> 4.  make install.man
jz> 
jz> Are they correct?

   If you got no errors doing these .. yes they should've worked.

jz> Now I re-start x-windows, but I don't know whether I am running fvwm .41
jz> or .46 version. Any idea?

   This depends on your ".xinitrc" file.  You either have this file in
   your home directory or you are using your system default one which
   is located in:  "/usr/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc"  which usually is a symlink
   to another file in the same directory (this path *may* differ in your
   RedHat distribution.  I do not know for sure.  See if you see such
   a directory).

   If you are using the system default one you should make the symlink
   point to the appropriate "xinitrc.window_manager" file, where in your
   case "window_manager" is 'fvwm2' and so the file would be named
   "xinitrc.fvwm2".

   But if you have a ".xinitrc" file in your home directory you'll need
   to modify that file to start 'fvwm2' instead of 'fvwm'.  *IF* you
   do not have this file in your home directory it is recommended to
   copy the system xinitrc file to your home directory, renaming it to
   ".xinitrc" and modify that file instead of messing with the system
   default one.  That way you minimize any possible 'risk' of damage.

   Most important note:  If you are not too sure of what you are doing
   ALWAYS keep backups of the config files you are about to modify.
   This way if something goes wrong you can always go back to the old
   set up.

   Another thing to remember is never modify too many things at once
   and then test.  You should modify/test incrementally.  That way
   figuring out what went wrong becomes much easier.

jz> ANother question: I found some fvwm config files in internet make the
jz> screen look great, so I also want to download it and replace my old one.

   Just as I mentioned above.. first get fvwm2 going and when that is
   all working fine then go about using the config files you wish to
   use.

jz> But I really don't know which old file should be replaced, and what's
jz> the path of the old file! Just few weeks for LInux world!!

   For starting up window mannager's the important files are either of
   the following:

      ~/.xinitrc
      /usr/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc

   For you fvwm2 setup the two files you should look at are either of
   the following:

      ~/.fvwm2rc
      /usr/lib/X11/fvwm2/system.fvwmrc

   If the first one of the two files is found the second one is not
   looked at.  So the first file (the one in your home directory)
   has precedence over the other.  [Note: the last directory would
   depend on where you installed fvwm2.]

   Again note that the paths *may* differ in a RedHat distribution.
   Since I am not familiar with RedHat I do not know.

   Having said all this I'd like to wish you luck.  The above
   information provided by me is only meant to help you.  I do
   not assume any responsibility for the results of the changes
   mentioned above.

Patrick K. ...