Multiple Desktops in Easy Mode

Well ICEWM is are pretty good manager and to make it really usable I needed a couple of features which let me mostly ignore the mouse. Normally I use Window Maker but I've taken a liking to the AsusLauncher so I wanted to implement my normal setup in ICEWM. These features include:

• several desktops
• convenient key bindings to switch desktops
• convenient key bindings to switch windows
• convenient key bindings to maximise/unmaximise windows
• convenient key bindings to launch common apps

This is all quite straight forward using standard ICEWM features.

Firstly, make the ICEWM home directory:

mkdir ~/.icewm

Then, copy in the default preferences file:

cp /etc/X11/icewm/preferences ~/.icewm

I added the following lines to it to accomplish all but my last goal:

KeyWinMaximize="Alt+m"
  # Toggle maximised/minimised state
ShowWorkspaceStatus=1
  # Show workspace name when switching workspaces
TaskBarShowWorkspaces=0
  # Don't list workspaces on taskbar
WorkspaceNames=" One ", " Two ", " Three ", " Four "
  # Both name and number of workspaces
KeySysWorkspacePrev="Alt+h"
  # Switch workspace
KeySysWorkspaceNext="Alt+l"
  # Switch workspace
KeyWinPrev="Alt+j"
  # Switch window focus
KeyWinNext="Alt+k"
  # Switch window focus
KeySysWorkspacePrevTakeWin="Alt+Ctrl+h"
  # Take window with focus to another workspace
KeySysWorkspaceNextTakeWin="Alt+Ctrl+l"
  # Take window with focus to another workspace
TaskBarShowAllWindows=0
  # Make sure only windows in current workspace are listed on the taskbar
TaskBarShowCollapseButton=0
  # Get rid of the taskbar hide handles

I use vi style bindings which I'm very comfortable with. Obviously, you should use whatever your happy with.

Then I created the file ~/.icewm/keys for my shortcuts for launching programs which only has a shortcut for xterm (you could use the file /etc/X11/icewm/keys as a base if you want):

key "Alt+t"          xterm -sb -sl 1000

Finally, so that Asuslauncher appears on all the desktops you will have to set its 'sticky' state. That can also be done with ICEWM. Copy the default file cp /etc/X11/icewm/winoptions ~/.icewm/winoptions

Near the bottom of the file, with the other AsusLauncher options add this:

AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.allWorkspaces:1

Obviously the key bindings are all to my taste. Its up to you if you want to even alter your system in this way. If you don't like the changes you can, of course simply delete the files in you ~/.icewm configuration directory.

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to launch the ICEWM shutdown dialog; select Restart to see all your changes.