IceWm - Configuring the Light Window Manager

IceWm is a very light window manager. It is simple to use if you are used to GNOME, Windows or KDE default setup.

I am writing this setup with Ubuntu Dapper, but most of the configuration works on any distribution. Some of the configuration is tested on Debian, Red Hat, Fedora and Ubuntu Breezy too.

This article is a work in progress.

 $ sudo apt-get install icewm icewm-gnome-support wmctrl

When you log out to gdm login screen, you can choose icewm from the bottom left corner of the screen, under options.

To enable a menu similar to Debian

$ sudo apt-get install menu

This menu has much more programs than Ubuntu standard menu. then restart icewm (IceWM menu: Logout: Restart IceWm).

To show all menu items, including empty ones:

## $HOME/.icewm/menu
menuprog "Progs" folder icewm-menu-gnome2 --list /usr/share/desktop-directories/

To show some selected folders:

## $HOME/.icewm/menu
menuprog "Accessories" gnome-util icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Accessories.directory"
menuprog "Programming" gnome-devel icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Development.directory"
menuprog "Graphics" gnome-graphics icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Graphics.directory"
menuprog "Internet" gnome-globe icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Internet.directory"
menuprog "Sound & Video" gnome-multimedia icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Multimedia.directory"
menuprog "Office" gnome-applications icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/Office.directory"
menuprog "Administration" gnome-system icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/System-Settings.directory"
menuprog "System Tools" gnome-system icewm-menu-gnome2 --list "/usr/share/desktop-directories/System-Tools.directory"
prog "Search for Files..." gnome-searchtool icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/gnome-search-tool.desktop"
prog "CD/DVD Creator" gnome-dev-cdrom icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/nautilus-cd-burner.desktop"
prog "Computer" gnome-fs-client icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/nautilus-computer.desktop"
prog "Home Folder" gnome-fs-home icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/nautilus-home.desktop"
prog "Network Servers" gnome-fs-network icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/network-scheme.desktop"
prog "Help" gnome-help.png icewm-menu-gnome2 --open "/usr/share/applications/yelp.desktop"

To see list of all available folders, use

$ icewm-menu-gnome2 --list /usr/share/desktop-directories/

You can quickly test your new menu files by choosing IceWM menu: Logout: Restart IceWm.