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When you launch fvwm, it looks for an initialization file named .fvwmrc in your home directory. This file contains information on key and button bindings, as well as color schemes and start-up applications and options.
When you look at a file, you’ll see a long list of options. Some of them begin with #, which comments out the line and neutralizes it.
The following options can be set in the .fvwmrc file:
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| StdForeColor colorname | Sets the foreground color for menus and nonselected windows to colorname. A monochrome display defaults this color to black. |
| StdBackColor colorname | Sets the background color for menus and nonselected windows to colorname. A monochrome display defaults this color to white. |
| StickyForeColor colorname | Sets the foreground color for nonselected window sticky titles to colorname. A monochrome display defaults this color to black. |
| StickyBackColor colorname | Sets the background color for nonselected window sticky windows to colorname. A monochrome display defaults this to white. |
| HiForeColor colorname | Sets the title color for a selected window. A monochrome display defaults this color to black. |
| HiBackColor colorname | Sets the background color for a selected window. A monochrome display defaults this color to white. |
| MenuForeColor colorname | Sets the color for the menu foreground. |
| MenuBackColor colorname | Sets the color for the menu background. |
| MenuStippleColor colorname | Sets the color for unavailable (shaded-out) options on a menu. |
| PagerBackColor colorname | Sets the pager background color. |
| PagerForeColor colorname | Sets the pager foreground color. |
| Font fontname | Sets the font for menus, resize indicators, and icon labels. |
| WindowFont fontname | Sets the font for the window title bar. |
| PagerFont fontname | Sets the font for window icon names. |
| IconFont fontname | Sets the font for icon name labels. |
| NoTitle windowname | Suppresses a title for a specified windowname. |
| NoBorder windowname | Suppresses decorative borders for a specified windowname. |
| Sticky windowname | Sets a windowname as “sticky,” not moving the viewport into the virtual desktop changes. |
| StaysOnTop windowname | Tells windowname never to be obscured by other windows. |
| StartsOnDesk windowname desk-number | Tells windowname to be placed on a specific desk-number, if you’re using multiple desks. |
| CirculateSkip windowname | Skips windowname when circulate-up or circulate-down functions are invoked. |
| CirculateSkipIcons | Skips icons when running circulate and warp operations. |
| WindowListSkip windowname | Omits windowname from the window list. |
| Style windowname options | Can be used with the previous commands to place all the settings with one comprehensive command. |
| CenterOnCirculate | Centers the target window when circulating. |
| DeskTopSize HorizontalxVertical | Sets the virtual desktop size in units of the physical screen size. |
| DeskTopScale Scale | Sets the virtual desktop scale with respect to the screen. |
| BoundaryWidth Width | Sets the boundary width on decorated windows; the default is 6. |
| NoBoundaryWidth Width | Sets the decoration width for windows with no boundaries. The default is 1. |
| XORvalue number | Sets the value with which bits are XORed when doing rubber-band window moving or resizing. |
| EdgeScroll horizontal vertical | Sets the percentage of a page to scroll when the cursor hits the edge of a page. |
| PagingDefault value | Determines whether paging is enabled (where value is 1) or disabled (where value is 0). |
| EdgeResistance scrolling moving | Sets the parameters for moving a mouse over the edge of the screen (set with the scrolling value) and moving a window over the edge of a screen (set with the moving value). |
| OpaqueMove percent | Sets the maximum size window with which opaque window movement should be used. |
| ClickToFocus | Sets keyboard input with an active window until another window is explicitly selected. |
| SloppyFocus | Sets focus with the mouse. |
| MWMBorders | Uses mwm-style window borders. |
| MWMButtons | Uses mwm-style button configurations. |
| MWMMenus | Uses mwm-style menus. |
| MWMDecorHints | Uses mwm-style window hints. |
| MWMFunctionHints | Uses mwm-style window functions. |
| MWMHintOverride | Uses mwm-style hint overrides for iconifying. |
| Lenience | Tells fvwm to ignore an ICCCM convention. |
| OpaqueResize | Resizes window with its borders, not with an outline. |
| DontMoveOff | Doesn’t allow windows to be moved off the desktop. |
| AutoRaise delay | Sets the autoraising of windows and specifies the delay (in milliseconds) between when a window acquires the input focus and when it is automatically raised. |
| Pager X Y | Sets the paging style of a window moving across the desktop, as a window appears at X and Y. |
| Mouse Button Context Modifiers Functions | Sets several mouse parameters: button the button number, context is the binding context (R for root window, W for application window, T for titlebar, S for window bar, F for window frame, I for icon window, or 0 through 9 for titlebar buttons), modifier is a key modifier (N for no modifiers, C for Ctrl key, S for Shift key, M for Meta key, or A for any), and function for a built-in function. |
| Key keyname Context Modifiers Function | Binds a key to a function: key is the key, context is the binding context (R for root window, W for application window, T for titlebar, S for window bar, F for window frame, I for icon window, or 0 through 9 for titlebar buttons), modifier is a key modifier (N for no modifiers, C for Ctrl key, S for Shift key, M for Meta key, or A for any), and function for a built-in function. |
| IconBox left top right bottom | Sets the regions of the screen to place icons. |
| StubbornIconPlacement | Tells IconBoxes not to be covered by windows. |
| StubbornIcons | Tells the window to expand icons into their original position. |
| SuppressIcons | Suppresses icons. |
| StickyIcons | Places icons in the same place, no matter where you move the virtual screen. |
| IconPath path | Sets the pathname for the location of black-and-white icons. |
| PixmapPath path | Sets the pathname for the location of color icons. |
| Icon windowname bitmap-file | Sets the bitmap for a specific win-downame. |
| DecorateTransients | Decorates transient windows. |
| RandomPlacement | Places windows randomly, instead of waiting for users to place them. |
| SmartPlacement | Places windows in an open area, instead of waiting for users to place them. |
| StubbornPlacement | Places windows anywhere but over an icon, instead of waiting for users to place them. |
| NoPPosition | Ignores the PPosition field when adding new windows. |
| ClickTime delay | Sets the delay (in milliseconds) between a button press and a button release. |
| ModulePath | Sets the path for modules. |
| Module ModuleName | Sets a module to load when launching. The choices are: GoodStuff (recommended), FvwmPager, FvwmBanner, FvwmWinList, FvwmClean, FvwnIdent, FvwmSave, FvwmScroll, FvwmDebug, and FvwmSound. These modules have their own man pages. |
| Cursor cursor_num cursor_type | Changes cursor style. |
| ButtonStyle button# WidthxHeight | Sets the shape in a titlebar button. |
| AppsBackingStore | Sets backing store for applications, which fails ICCCM guidelines. |
| SaveUnders | Sets save-unders. |
| BackingStore | Sets backing store for the window manager, which fails ICCCM guidelines. |
| Popup Popup_Name | Sets a pop-up menu, to be later bound to a mouse button or key. |
| Function Function_Name | Sets a function, to be later bound to a mouse button or key. |
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