Ddifferent users, different window managers. Possible?

Onemessedupjedi · 10-19-2003, 03:18 AM

I have ruined my x so many times and it has caused me to re-install(for lack of knowledge) slackware sooo many times that I am not going to try this without some help. I really want to be able to use all the window managers when I want and I will be teaching my friends linux everychance I get so I would like to be able to show them different window managers without swithing distros. I think I remember a option or something like that in the bootup section of the KDE control panel. I am currently on my work's computer which runs windows so I can't check. I would wait and check the man files but I would not find it, I never have before without putting in the search terms I knew. I also searched the forums, unfortunantly it must be so easy that no one has asked it recently.

Thank you for any help, point me wherever if you know a good resource or walk me through it please. Even man page keywords would work.

miknight · 10-19-2003, 05:22 AM

You might wanna look into the uses of the files ~/.xinitrc and ~/.Xsession to speed you on your way.

For my Gentoo system I have many window managers installed. I boot to runlevel 3 so I my .xinitrc file (in my home dir) gives commands for X to run. The last command is the window manager to load. I have all of the WM's commented out except (of course) for the one I want to use. Here's the current content of my .xinitrc file:

Code:

#xgamma -gamma 1.2
xrdb -load .Xresources
numlockx on
#nvclock -m 479 -n 300
#xscreensaver &
#exec /usr/bin/fluxbox
#exec /usr/bin/enlightenment
#exec /usr/bin/xfce
#icewmbg &
#exec /usr/bin/icewm
#exec /usr/bin/afterstep
#exec /usr/bin/fvwm
#exec /usr/bin/sawfish
#exec /usr/bin/wmaker
exec /usr/bin/gnome-session
#exec xterm

Of course, distros behave differently so this is just a rough example.

frieza · 10-19-2003, 05:33 AM

of course it's possilbe, i do it, you start by running switchdesk as the user you want to change the windowmanager) to create
~/.Xclients-default
(in case you are wondering that is in an invisible file int the user's home directory that tells what windowmanager to run as default for that user)
then if you need (the windowmanager isn't listed in switchdesk) then use the command:
echo exec *command to start windowmanager* > ~/.Xclients-default at that user's prompt
then restart X and login the user using the 'default'session' or login at the terminal as that user and type 'startx' (if running from a text-only login)