Not an official publication of Infinite Monkeys, Inc.

FvwmPartition

FvwmPartition is a FVWM2 module that allows the user to build a structure of panes in a fairly arbitrary manner. Windows can be attached to these panes and manipulated together by dragging the bars that separate the panes. Windows in a specific pane can selected by tapping the labels on the parent bar or moved by drag-and-dropping the labels.

20001024 v0.1

20001218 v0.2preview

20010119 v0.2 (Alpha)

This is shown using Fvwm 2.3 from the CVS trunk.

Note that the gaps around the terminal windows are caused by the large granularity of their size increments.

The green handles are for resizing in two directions like the corners handles of normal windows.

Status

Implemented features:

Add bar to draggable level
Move bar directly
Move bar(s) in reaction to window move/resize
Attach window
Detach window
Move all
Non-opaque move/resize
Fix sizing around edge bars
Drag&Drop Labels
Corner Manipulation
Remove Bar

Pending Alpha 2:

Launch into partition
Auto-swallow
Multi-Root
Mouse Cursor effects

TODO Beta:

Fix bar creation location wackiness
Fix draggable bar-add around edge bars
.fvwmrc Configurability
man page
Key mappings
Restacking effects?
Move Sub-hierarchy
Edge resistance

Usage

These will likely be the defaults when configurability allows you to change the mapping.

Leftmouse drag on top root bar: move whole structure
Rightmouse drag on top root bar: move all structures
Leftmouse drag on bar: move partition bar
Rightmouse on bar: add partition as child to bar (drag to change scope)
Drag window onto horizontal bar to attach (snap to edge counts as an attachment)
Drag label: move window to another partition or eject if outside all
Left single-click on label: Raise window
Left double-click on label: Detach window
Left double-click on bar: Remove (edge bars immune)
Left double-click on top root bar: Terminate module
Left click on icon in bar: launch into partition
Right click on icon in bar: toggle auto-swallow

Currently, FvwmPartition sends a continous stream of debug messages to /tmp/FvwmPartition.log. You can use 'tail -f /tmp/FvwmPartition.log' to watch it. The file is never cleared automatically, so it may be prudent to delete it occasionally.

The partition bars are windows, so window properties like snapping or appearance in the pager should inherently be functional. Note that some convenience operations that move/resize windows (usually alt-mousebutton-drag) occur on the window or background you're pointing at, not on the bars surrounding the mouse.

Code Snapshot

    This module, FvwmPartition, is an original work by Jason Weber.

    Copyright 2000-2001, Jason Weber.  No guarantees or warrantees or
    anything are provided or implied in any way whatsoever.  Use this
    program at your own risk.

    Interim License: Until this code reaches acceptable maturity,
    its use is limited to Fvwm developers only.  This code may not
    be redistribuited until further notice.

    If and when this software is officially merged into Fvwm project,
    it will likely adopt the licensing terms therein.

List all versions

v0.3pre 20010825

fvwmpartition0.3.tar.gz
x86 Linux Binary 20020915
This is just a snapshot where development was left off.

v0.2 20010119

fvwmpartition0.2.tar.gz

(updated 20021905 for missing man page)

You still have to add FvwmPartition to the build. Under ./configure.in add "modules/FvwmPartition/Makefile" twice near where it says "modules/FvwmPager/Makefile". Under ./modules/Makefile.am, add FvwmPartition under "SUBDIRS=". Run (or rerun) ./configure to update all the other files.

The style is now invoked by the module.

For a quick look using x86 Linux, you should be able to just drop in the binary as /usr/lib/fvwm/version/FvwmPartition.

Oddities

The windows rarely appear where I tell them too. For now, sometimes you just have to move them after they are created.

The rightmouse-drag feature is still problematic.

It still crashes, just a lot less often. This is a preview.

v0.1 20001024

fvwmpartition0.1.tar.gz

The contents should expand into './modules/FvwmPartition'. This archive can be untar'd into the Fvwm root directory from where the whole project is usually built. You have to add FvwmPartition to './modules/Makefile.am' and './Makefile.in'.

Additionally, you have to add the following line to your .fvwmrc for the partition bars to draw cleanly.

    Style "FvwmPartition"   WindowListSkip,NoTitle,NoHandles,BorderWidth 0

Oddities

If a newly created bar appears cut short, try moving a bar near it to force a resize.

Watch out for resizing windows next to a outer edge bar.

Moving partitions by dragging them directly is more stable than adjusting them indirectly using the attached windows.

Similar ideas from other projects

CoralTree WDS Partition widget
Ion, an X Window Manager