Hi all,
I don't know why I can't start fluxbox. Please help me!

I use Debian, and after adding this repository in the sources.list:

deb http://people.debian.org/~dopey/fluxbox ./


...I've just installed these packages:

fluxbox, fbdesk, fluxbox-theme-contrib, fluxbox-theme-sid, fluxbox-themes.

The problem is that now, if I try to start fluxbox in this way (I think I don't need to do anything else before starting fluxbox, please let me know if I forgot some steps)

startx /usr/bin/fluxbox

... the X server seems to start correctly, but I just get a grey background with no icons, no panels, and no menus (also clicking all the mouse buttons...) The only thing I can see is the date and time at the botton of the grey background...

Do you know why it doesn't work? I forgot some configurations steps? I forgot to install some packages?

Regards from Italy!

nobody can help me?

You might try the command 'which fluxbox' just to make sure that it is installed at /usr/bin/fluxbox.

Not sure about Debian, but on Slack this'll work:
mv ~/.xinitrc ~/.xinitrc.old
echo 'exec /path/to/fluxbox' > .xinitrc
startx

Other than that, you can check this page to see what is required by fluxbox: http://packages.debian.org/stable/x11/fluxbox.html

Or just go to the Fluxbox homepage (http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/), and download and compile the latest source tarball. That worked for me :-)

Enjoy!
--- Cerbere

[edit] If you decide to get the source from Fluxbox directly, don't use the CVS version, as it can be somewhat unstable, go here instead: http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/version-0.9.php [/edit]

thanx a lot for your answer!
I'm going to try some others tests tonight, I hope I'll be able to run correctly fluxbox because I'd like to find a low-resource window manager and I think fluxbox is the solution!

bye!

nothing! damn!

I tried like you suggested me to modify again the .xinitrc file, I installed all the required packages but the result is still the same: when I run startx, the X server starts, but I have only a completely full grey background (with the time and date at the booton), but nothing else!

I tried clicking all the mouse buttons but no menus appear at all, nothing appear!

any other suggestions?


bye!

I'm trying now to install the latest tarball at the homepage... I hope it'll work!

I've removed all the packages installed with apt-get, and I tried to install the last tarball getting it from the fluxbox homepage: when I run: ./configure I have no problems, but when I run:
make

I've these errors.... why?


Debian-Puff:/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14# make
make all-recursive
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14'
Making all in data
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
Making all in styles
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data/styles'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data/styles'
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all-am'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
Making all in doc
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/doc'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/doc'
Making all in nls
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls'
Making all in C
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/C'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/C'
Making all in da_DK
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/da_DK'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/da_DK'
Making all in es_ES
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/es_ES'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/es_ES'
Making all in et_EE
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/et_EE'
Translation.m:4: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:5: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:6: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:7: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:8: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:13: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:21: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:22: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:26: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:33: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:34: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:55: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:56: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:57: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:60: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:61: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:65: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:67: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:69: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:70: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:73: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:74: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:75: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:76: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:78: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:79: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:81: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:82: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:83: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:84: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:87: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:109: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:116: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:138: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:142: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:143: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:163: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:166: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:168: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:188: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:189: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:194: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:203: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:204: invalid character: message ignored
make[3]: *** [fluxbox.cat] Error 1
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/et_EE'
make[2]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls'
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14'
make: *** [all] Error 2
Debian-Puff:/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14#


byeeeee please help me!

Try this:

Edit your .xinitrc file to say "exec xterm"

then
startx

when X loads, and the XTerm comes up, type at the prompt "fluxbox"

It should then start fluxbox. If not, post the errors and we can go from there.

Ian

The translation errors may be because you dont have some internationalisation (in18 ?) development package installed.

... I follwed the suggestions of Proud, below you can read all the errors that appear when I try to launch fluxbox from xterm.... it seems it doesn't work anything but I don't know why!

Maybe I forgot to create a Fluxbox configuration file, or I forgot to run some scripts that do this thing automatically?

Please help me I want fluxbox!

roby@Debian-Puff:~$ fluxbox
Failed to read: session.tabs
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.colorsPerChannel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.numLayers
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.menuFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.keyFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.left
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.right
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheLife
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheMax
Setting default value
fluxbox.cc: Loading groups ()
Failed to load groupfile:
Remember.cc(load): Loading apps file [/home/roby/.fluxbox/apps]
apps file failure
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.fullMaximization
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.sloppywindowgrouping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.showwindowposition
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusLastWindow
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusNewWindows
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.antialias
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspaces
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.edgeSnapThreshold
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuAlpha
Setting default value
BScreen::BScreen: managing screen 0 using visual 0x23, depth 24
Failed to read: session.tabs
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.colorsPerChannel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.numLayers
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.menuFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.keyFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.left
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.right
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheLife
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheMax
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.fullMaximization
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.sloppywindowgrouping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.showwindowposition
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusLastWindow
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusNewWindows
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.antialias
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspaces
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.edgeSnapThreshold
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuAlpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.autoHide
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.placement
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.direction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.layer
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.tabs
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.ignoreBorder
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.colorsPerChannel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.numLayers
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.styleFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.menuFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.keyFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.slitlistFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.groupFile
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.left
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.titlebar.right
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheLife
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.cacheMax
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.imageDither
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.opaqueMove
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.fullMaximization
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.sloppywindowgrouping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspacewarping
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.desktopwheeling
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.showwindowposition
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusLastWindow
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusNewWindows
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.antialias
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.autoRaise
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.clickRaises
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.rootCommand
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.focusModel
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.workspaces
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.edgeSnapThreshold
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.menuAlpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.autoHide
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.placement
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.direction
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.alpha
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.slit.layer
Setting default value
Screen.cc(parseMenuFile): inserts configmenu: 0x815b408
BScreen:arseMenuFile: [stylesdir/stylesmenu] error,
/usr/share/blackbox/styles does not exist
BScreen:arseMenuFile: [stylesdir/stylesmenu] error,
/home/roby/.blackbox/styles does not exist
BScreen:arseMenuFile: [stylesdir/stylesmenu] error,
/home/roby/.fluxbox/styles does not exist
Failed to read theme item: slit
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: slit.borderWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: slit.bevelWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: slit.borderColor
Setting default value
Window.cc: FluxboxWindow::init(this=0x816f990, client=400003, frame =
600172)
Window.cc: Default gravity: SouthWest, NorthWest, West
0x816f990 notify layer signal
Window.cc: Creating close button
Gnome.cc(232): setting workspace(0) for window(0x816f990)
Window.cc: Creating close button
Workspace.cc(307): Checking grouping. (Terminal)
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.mode
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.label.textColor
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.windowLabel.textColor
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.clock.textColor
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.button.picColor
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.borderColor
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.label
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.windowLabel
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.button
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.button.pressed
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.clock
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.font
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.justify
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.borderWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.bevelWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.button.borderWidth
Setting default value
Failed to read theme item: toolbar.shaped
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.autoHide
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.maxOver
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.widthPercent
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.layer
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.onhead
Setting default value
Failed to read: session.screen0.toolbar.placement
Setting default value
-----------------
Setting Focused window = 0x816f8a8
Current Focused window = (nil)
------------------
Workspace.cc(shutdown): scr 0, ws 0, windowlist:
0x816f990

FluxboxWindow::restore: reparent 0x400003 to root
WinClient.cc(~WinClient)[this=0x816f8a8]
Window.cc(removeClient)[0x816f990]
Window.cc(removeClient)[0x816f990] numClients = 0
-----------------
Setting Focused window = (nil)
Current Focused window = 0x816f8a8
------------------
Window.cc(restore): numClients() = 0
Window.cc(275): starting ~FluxboxWindow(0x816f990)
Window.cc(276): num clients = 0
Window.cc(277): curr client = (nil)
Window.cc(278): m_labelbuttons.size = 0
Focused window already win
Window.cc(326): ~FluxboxWindow(0x816f990)
Menu.cc(remove): delete: 0x8170508
Menu.cc(remove): delete: 0x81714e0
FbTk::EventManager: Warning: unregistered eventhandlers!

Seems like it cant read any files which should be in ~/.fluxbox/ or /usr/share/fluxbox.

Try fluxbox -log ~/.fluxbox/log to make fluxbox output that to a log file.

Did you make install as root? Which release did you use?

I have this fluxbox version: 0.9.4

the last one is 0.9.6? why using apt-get it didn't install the last stable version?

Anyway, I also run this like you seuggested me:

Debian-Puff:/home/roby# fluxbox -log ~/.fluxbox/log
Loggin to: /root/.fluxbox/log
Debian-Puff:/home/roby#


...but I didn't understand very well what this command should do...


any other suggestions?

Before I also tried do run "fluxconf", and I saw that the path of the keys, themes, and menu are empty!!! Probably is this the reason because fluxbox seems to don't find the menu.... but when I try to fill in the correct paths and I save the changes, when I run again fluxconf the paths are empty again! Why doesn't it save the change under fluxconf?


ciaoooo

Maybe you need to update apt-get's listing of the latest packages? I dont know how it works.

Did you make install despite those make errors? Did you ./configure --prefix=/wherever_you_should_for_your_distro ?
Did you personally create the ~/.fluxbox/ folder? Do you have anything in /usr/share/fluxbox/ ?

Installing fluxbox is more difficult than I expected
I just saw Fluxbox working by starting Knoppix, and it is very nice and low-resource manager! I'd like a lot to use it!

by the way, here's the answers:
First I tried installing fluxbox with apt-get, so I didn't need to compile anything, then I tried installing the last stable version getting it from the site and also the latest CVS version, but in these 2 cases I had some errors during the "make process" (the .configure --enable-gnome --enable-kde was ok, I used just these two options).
Below you can find the errors, if someone can help me I'll appreciate it a lot, also because I'd prefer install the last version instead using the 0.9.4 that I got with apt-get.

I didn't create the ~/.fluxbox/ folder by myself, it was created automatically: now inside this dir I have 3 files:
- init (which is an empty file)
- keys (empty)
menu (inside it are written the application I have installed in my pc...).

Also the /usr/share/fluxbox was created automaticaly, inside it I have now:
- init (in this case the file has got something written inside)
- key (also in this case something is present written inside it)
- nls (empty dir)
- backgorund (which contains the backgrounds images)
- styles (which contains the themes files)

Is possible the problem is that the init file is empty? someone can give me his file? or maybe I've just to copy the init file from /usr/share/fluxbox to ~/.fluxbox/? I'll try now doing so...

Byeeee


Compiling errors:

Debian-Puff:/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14# make
make all-recursive
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14'
Making all in data
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
Making all in styles
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data/styles'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data/styles'
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all-am'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/data'
Making all in doc
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/doc'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/doc'
Making all in nls
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls'
Making all in C
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/C'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/C'
Making all in da_DK
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/da_DK'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/da_DK'
Making all in es_ES
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/es_ES'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/es_ES'
Making all in et_EE
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/et_EE'
Translation.m:4: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:5: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:6: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:7: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:8: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:13: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:21: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:22: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:26: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:33: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:34: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:55: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:56: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:57: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:60: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:61: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:65: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:67: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:69: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:70: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:73: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:74: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:75: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:76: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:78: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:79: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:81: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:82: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:83: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:84: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:87: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:109: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:116: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:138: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:142: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:143: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:163: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:166: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:168: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:188: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:189: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:194: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:203: invalid character: message ignored
Translation.m:204: invalid character: message ignored
make[3]: *** [fluxbox.cat] Error 1
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls/et_EE'
make[2]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14/nls'
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14'
make: *** [all] Error 2
Debian-Puff:/home/roby/Downloads/Flux/fluxbox-0.1.14#


byeeeee please help me!

Now it workS!!!

the problem was like I expected before that I had to copy manually the files init and key to my home dir! I don't know why I had to do it manually but now it works! very good i'll try it now!

do you know how to change the background?

byeee