Autostart application in evilwm or cwm window manager

rng · 04-01-2016, 01:07 AM

I am able to start evilwm using 'exec evilwm' in ~/.xinitrc file. From there I can open a terminal using control-alt-enter and then give command 'firefox' to start it. I can use similar steps for cwm also.

How can I autostart firefox using evilwm/cwm/mcwm/fvwm or any other minimalistic windows manager? Thanks for your replies.

JWJones · 04-01-2016, 08:28 PM

You just need to modify the ~/.xinitrc file again to add any programs you want to auto-start, like this:

Code:

/usr/bin/firefox &

rng · 04-01-2016, 10:28 PM

I tried following .xinitrc:

Code:

#! /bin/bash
exec evilwm
/usr/bin/firefox &

But it does not work. The window manager starts but firefox does not run. Same with fvwm. The entry 'exec evilwm &' also does not work. Where is the mistake?

JWJones · 04-02-2016, 07:39 AM

Hmm... perhaps it's in /usr/local/bin instead?

Code:

/usr/local/bin/firefox &

You need to know which directory firefox is in.

I guess I should have added that this works for me in OpenBSD, and no bash. YMMV in Linux.

rng · 04-02-2016, 09:01 AM

The firefox file is in /usr/bin only.
Which window manager are you using?

JWJones · 04-02-2016, 09:32 AM

^ I use cwm and spectrwm, but this is in OpenBSD, not Linux, and my .xinitrc is just a regular text file, not a bash script.

rng · 04-02-2016, 10:49 AM

I tried with cwm and with evilwm but it does not work.

thfr · 08-20-2016, 09:56 PM

This may help with your problem:

In .xinitrc (or .xsession), the window manager needs to be called _after_ all the applications that you want to appear in it. The file is a script, and the window manager has to be foregrounded in order to function (don't use "&" with the window manager call!). Once the script reaches the window manager call, it stays there until you quit the window manager. Anything listed afterwards is typically never executed, or not in a way that you can use it anywhere.

I suggest therefore that you try this:

Code:

#! /bin/bash
/usr/bin/firefox &
exec evilwm