- This topic has 20 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated Jun 2-1:54 am by Xecure.
-
Posts
-
olsztyn
I apologize if I missed this topic…
I have been so far using Fluxbox (Radiant-Medium) desktop. This is just a personal preference vs. IceWM, where I could not find elegant enough style.
One minor problem though on Fluxbox on my Thinkpads X61 and T410:
Hardware volume buttons do not work on Fluxbox at all, while they work fine on IceWM. Is there an easy solution to fix Fluxbox support of hardware volume buttons?
In addition, hardware brightness buttons do not work on either Fluxbox or IceWM.
These issues are nothing major and I have lived with them all along but if there is a solution I would be very interested.
Thanks and Regards…- This topic was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by olsztyn.
Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersBobC
Backup your ~/.fluxbox/keys file
then go to Control Centre, Desktop, Fluxbox settings, keys tab, and add these 3 lines,
123 :Exec amixer sset Master,0 1+ 122 :Exec amixer sset Master,0 1- 121 :Exec amixer sset Master,0 toggleand then save it.
Then from the main menu, go to Fluxbox settings and click reconfigure.
I don’t have a thinkpad anymore, so not really sure if it will work on yours.
Just curious, what did you like on Fluxbox that IceWM doesn’t do well?
- This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by BobC.
Just curious, what did you like on Fluxbox that IceWM doesn’t do well?
Thanks BobC for the tips. I will try shortly.
In reference to the above question:
It is a matter of my personal preference only. In terms of functionality I am not aware of anything that IceWM is not capable what Fluxbox is capable.
My personal preference is clean, uncluttered, elegant and functional desktop, but neither Fluxbox nor IceWM fit such requirement across the board. From aesthetics I see only one theme in Fluxbox that is acceptable to me for long term use – Radiant Medium. Most other themes are as ugly, difficult for eyes or bad fonts as in IceWM: Ugly themes, crude fonts, main menu cluttered. None of toolbars in IceWM is aesthetically designed as simple, clean, elegant and that you could see the meaning of the icons on the right side at first glance, making them practically useless clutter. Toolbar in Fluxbox is equally crude if not worse although it is smaller, less visible and less in the way so the negative impact on overall aesthetics of desktop is lesser.
Both being crude and amateurish except one or two themes relatively acceptable, perhaps this is the price we pay for little resources they require to run vs. better designed ones… Or perhaps the reason is different: That in free software world all crude and ugly themes or designs must be included so bad ones are not discriminated against good ones on the base of looks or usability…
Thanks again and Regards…- This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by olsztyn.
Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_Parameters
Xecure
Just curious, what did you like on Fluxbox that IceWM doesn’t do well?
This is my personal opinion, so it is up to everyone else why they like their particular favorite window manager.
For me, it is easier to edit the fluxbox files than to do so for iceWM, and there are less options to change (icewm has so many customizable options it is a bit overwhelming having to change many values to only change one thing).
I am not as good as all of you with the keyboard, I tend to depend too much on the mouse. One thing I like about fluxbox is that I can save the current window size and position by right clicking the top of the window, going to Remember, and make it automatically (no need to edit any file) the position and dimensions. I don’t need to know the name of the program, fluxbox does it for me.
Also, on my tablet, fluxbox makes life easier for me. For one thing (I think icewm does it too), I can resize the window by changing the behavior of double-click on title bar (top of window). I have it set to toggle between Fullscreen and 60 by 60% size at the top of the desktop. This solves the problem for me when rotating the screen and finding the window so big it doesn’t fit. Instead of having to use Alt + rightclick, I simply tap with my finger twice on the window title bar.
Another thing fluxbox has that I am not sure other WMs have is a titlebar option/button to move the window to occupy half of the left or right side of the screen.
You can see this on the left side of the window in this screenshot:
https://www.antixforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/eMMC-antix.png
And finally, I have it working just as I want, so I am not ready to move to a new one, even if it is better, when I would have to do lots of things do get it as nice as I want, porting my theme to the other WM.antiX Live system enthusiast.
General Live Boot Parameters for antiX.Thanks BobC for the tips.
My reply disappeared…
I followed your instructions but unfortunately it did not work.
As I said before, not a big deal as I lived with this for quite some time.Just curious, what did you like on Fluxbox that IceWM doesn’t do well?
I have not noticed anything that IceWM could not do what Fluxbox can do in terms of functionality. It is just pure aesthetics and usability:
– Fluxbox has one (only one) theme – Radiant Medium that is relatively acceptable to me be be used for longer time. Other themes are as crude and amateurish as in IceWM.
– None of toolbars in IceWM is clean, aesthetic, the default one is the best of all…
– The meaning of individual icons on the right side of toolbar cannot be told one from another if visible at all in many themes.
– Toolbar in Fluxbox is equally crude but smaller, less in the way so negative impact on overall looks of desktop is lesser
– Menu fonts not very good quality. IMHO the only relatively good quality font is in the above Fluxbox theme on all my laptops.Perhaps crude and amateurish looks of these WMs is the price we pay for little resources they use to run? Or is this a requirement in free software world that all themes must be included, regardless of quality, so bad ones are not discriminated against good ones on the base of looks and quality?
Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersThis is my personal opinion, so it is up to everyone else why they like their particular favorite window manager.
As much as I was focusing on looks in my post I appreciate far more material and valuable points brought up by Xecure to emphasize functionality and simplicity of Fluxbox.
I also want to emphasize it is my personal opinion and other users may like other desktops for their individual reasons.
Thanks again and Regards…Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersXecure
I followed your instructions but unfortunately it did not work.
As I said before, not a big deal as I lived with this for quite some time.When I execute xev in terminal and hit my volume up key, xev tells me the key name is XF86AudioRaiseVolume. Check to see what it says for you.
I am not sure if this was already setup on my .fluxbox/keys and I moved it or I created it myself, but I have these shortcuts set.XF86AudioLowerVolume :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 5%- XF86AudioRaiseVolume :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 5%+Try xev and see what keyname do your keys have. Then you can edit BobC command and add your specific key name. At least the one above works for me on 3 different systems.
antiX Live system enthusiast.
General Live Boot Parameters for antiX.Ok, yes, IceWM doesn’t have a theme that looks anything like that. I am just unable to be comfortable working fluxbox. Its better than it was initially, but IceWM is more “windows like” I would say, and have to use that, most of the day. I can’t make it comfortable for you.
As for your sound buttons,
Go to a terminal and make it full screen.
type xev and press enter. A little window will pop up. Press your 3 sound buttons and let them up one at a time. As you press each, text will appear in the terminal window, and you need to note the “keycode number” for each button. If the buttons don’t cause a keycode to appear, I don’t have an answer. But if they do generate keycodes, try them instead of the numbers at the beginnings of the lines I gave you.
If it works, post what numbers worked so if someone else needs to know how to make the volume buttons on a thinkpad work, they will find the answer or clues here.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by BobC.
Based on Xecure’s two, the third should be XF86AudioMute
Sorry, I didn’t know that syntax would be valid for Fluxbox
XF86AudioMute :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 toggleWhen I execute xev in terminal and hit my volume up key, xev tells me the key name is XF86AudioRaiseVolume. Check to see what it says for you.
Upon running xev and hittin Volume Up key nothing comes up in xev in addition to previously displayed properties and evants.
My original question that came up to my mind is: What makes these hardware volume keys work in IceWM and not in Fluxbox? This is probably a too simplistic question considering multitude of configuration settings but something seems to be by default in IceWM that makes it work…
Thanks again and Regards…Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_Parameterstype xev and press enter. A little window will pop up. Press your 3 sound buttons and let them up one at a time. As you press each, text will appear in the terminal window, and you need to note the “keycode number” for each button. If the buttons don’t cause a keycode to appear, I don’t have an answer. But if they do generate keycodes, try them instead of the numbers at the beginnings of the lines I gave you.
If you are referring to KeyRelease event then they do generate keycodes 123, 122 121 respective to Up, Down and Mute. Just as you originally specified.
So this is what I added to the end in the Fluxbox config as you directed me to do. Saved and Reconfigured Fluxbox. This did not change behavior even after logout and re-login to Fluxbox DM. Do I need to reboot?Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersXecure
Upon running xev and hittin Volume Up key nothing comes up in xev in addition to previously displayed properties and evants.
Sorry about that. Sometimes only xinput can show hardware kayes and not xev. I forgot about that. There is a /event/ folder somewhere in the system (independent of WM) that interprets these buttons and asigns them a command, and xev may not be able to read it, but it is working on the background.
I just checked, and the only amixer key commands in icewm that are not in fluxbox by default are the XF86Audio* ones. You could take BobC’s sugestion and also mine and add them to fluxbox. Restart fluxbox and see if the volume keys work.
antiX Live system enthusiast.
General Live Boot Parameters for antiX.I just checked, and the only amixer key commands in icewm that are not in fluxbox by default are the XF86Audio* ones. You could take BobC’s sugestion and also mine and add them to fluxbox.
I apologize for not being clear… In xev I saw keycodes specified by BobC as part of KeyRelease events as 123, 122 and 121. I did not see these event showing anything mentioning XF86Audio*.
What are exactly entries I need to add to Keys tab in Fluxbox config – the lines specified originally by BobC, starting with 123, 122, 121 or something starting with XF86Audio*?
I could look at IceWM configs for that but just want to make sure I understand…
Thanks again and Regards…Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersUpdate:
Sorry. I found the proper section in the keys tab of Fluxbox config. Replaced original value 176… with 123… etc.
Looks like Mute starts working, volumes do not still.
Looks like some progress that encourages me to pursue further…
Tahnks for your help. I am Learning something new…
Regards.Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersTry these there…
XF86AudioLowerVolume :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 5%- XF86AudioRaiseVolume :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 5%+ XF86AudioMute :ExecCommand amixer sset Master,0 toggle
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
