JWM

JWM is one of the Desktops (Window Managers) that comes included in antiX Linux Base and Full editions.

From Wikipedia: JWM (Joe's Window Manager) is a lightweight stacking window manager for the X Window System written by Joe Wingbermuehle. JWM is written in C and uses only Xlib at a minimum. Configuration is done by editing an XML file; no graphical configuration is necessary or supplied.

By default it's configured to resemble Windows 98/ XP.

It's very customizable, allowing, for example, you to place icon launchers (anywhere) on it's toolbar (unlike fluxbox) and it's menu offers dynamic entries (that allow you to display changing information, like recent files or a folder's content, etc).

Installation

jwm is installed by default in the antiX Linux Base and Full editions, and ships with its own customizations. To manually install it (if you removed it accidentally or you are building your system from Core or Net editions), you need the jwm package.

$ sudo apt install jwm

Configuration


 * Changing JWM's settings: Menu > Control Centre > Edit JWM ...


 * Changing JWM's looks: Menu > Themes > Choose the theme you like best

For now, this can only be done by editing a config file (there's no included GUI way to do that, sorry): Menu > Control Centre > Edit JWM... > "tray" tab Below the line " " Insert, in the position you want it to be, your icon's line, using this sintax: exec: the_command_that_starts_your_application -b
 * Adding/removing/moving quick launch icons to JWM's toolbar:

Example: exec: desktop-defaults-run -b


 * Show / not show desktop icons: Menu > Desktops > Desktops > choose "JWM" in order not to show desktop icons or "rox-jwm"/"space-jwm" to show desktop icons.

Adding icons to the desktop - in future versions, you'll probably be able to use app-select to place applications icons on the desktop. For now, if you are using (the default) "rox-jwm" desktop do this: launch rox-filer > navigate to /usr/share/applications/ > select and copy your app's .desktop file to the desktop (be careful not to move .desktop files to your desktop). To remove /rename icons on the desktop, right click them and choose the desired option.

Note: one particularity is that this window manager easily (editing a config file) allows you to have more than on "toolbar". In pratical terms this means that you can use a new wm toolbar like a dock for your apps (it even features auto-hidding hability):

Ex:

Menu > Control Centre > Edit JWM... > ".jwmrc" tab

Example of a config file that features an autohiding "dock" on the left, that show's launchers for your file manager and web browser:

Before the final line, that reads "", insert this text.



   exec:spacefm

   exec: desktop-defaults-run -b



Then save the file and restart JWM (Menu > End session > restart jwm), in order to use this toolbar that acts as a very simple dock.