Introduction
For just install, skip the intro
What is stumpwm?
A tiling, keyboard driven X11 window manager. Simply put, it permits you to choose what you do at any given time with key-bindings. Another simple way to sum up: Less is more :d.
Why?
I was lost with all the shining catch-eyes effects everywhere.
With a friend, Denis Labaye, we search for simpler. We found stumpwm and it was mind blowing.
How do i use it?
Personally, i choose to work with only one window at a time and ask for the one i want when i want it. It's my way of seeing it but stumpwm does not limit you in this way.
For me, stump empowers you with the choice of doing anything you want your way.
The small price to pay is learning key-bindings. Small price because you can override them so the sky is really the limit.
It's the computer that adapts to you and not the other way around.
Goal of the article
This howto explains how to install stumpwm and the little things you have to do to login with it in the gnome display manager.
Limits of the article
Targeted platform
This article is clearly oriented for a debian based distribution using a gnome display manager as the login manager. You may use some part with other distribution but i do not know how because i didn't have the problem to solve.
Targeted audience
Geeky/Nerdy people who likes to make computer adapts to them and not the other way around.
What is stumpwm in details.
How to install
Install stumpwm from CLI
sudo apt-get install stumpwm
Add a new entry to gdm
We need to add an entry menu to gdm for stumpwm so that we can log in with it.
For this we add the file /usr/share/xsessions/stumpwm.desktop
sudo emacs -nw /usr/share/xsessions/stumpwm.desktop
Content of the file:
[Desktop Entry]
Exec=stumpwm
TryExec=stumpwm
Name=stumpwm
Comment=The Mouseless Window Manager!
Here is a simple script to do that in one shot (feel free to patch):
#!/usr/bin/env bash $(dirname $0)/deploy-wm.sh stumpwm
src: deploy-stumpwm.sh
Logout from gdm
Gdm will reload. At next login, when you'll choose your user to log in, you will be proposed a new entry "stumpwm" at the bottom of the screen (it may depend on your theme). Choose it and log in.
Stumpwm starts
At the top right corner, you'll only see a help message inviting you to type "CTRL-t ?" (Control and t pressed at the same time followed by a pressure on 't') for a presentation of all the simple commands you need to start.
How to improve itb
Some simple commands
Syntax
C for Control
<l> for a letter
combination C-t for Control + t pressed together
C-t x for Control+t pressed together followed by a pressure on x.
C-t ?
List the basic commands
C-t c
To launch a terminal instance (xterm or gnome-terminal)
C-t e
To launch emacs or if it is already launched, call it to display before every other window.
C-t t
To make the window behind the current one pass before and vice-versa Inside the browser, you need to escape the t to add a tab (i gives a C-t t t).
C-t s
Split the screen horizontally in two frames of equal size (emacs way). You can move the window inside each frame the same way that when you have only one frame.
C-t Q
Cancel all the split screen.
C-t k
To kill a window not responding
C-t !
To launch a shell command not mapped yet on any binding.
etc…
cf. C-t ?
Stumpwm is really cool
You can override commands simply by putting a '.stumpwmrc' at the root of your home.
Granted, the file is in lisp. But you can understand it anyway.
Plus you can search the web for solution to your problems. You will find some geek who already has the answer.
My setup
The run or raise means that it only turns with one instance which is sufficient.
C-t f
Run or raise (only one instance at a time) firefox (f stands for firefox).
C-t b
Run or raise chromium (b stands for browser).
C-t i
Run or raise eclipse (i for ide)
C-t x
Run or raise gnome-terminal (x stands for xterm or any x terminal)
C-t o
To add a label (a letter) to each frame to move directly to this frame by typing the letter
C-t C-e
Launch the pdf reader (evince here)
C-t I
Display ifconfig result and display it inside a small window
C-t H
Display the content of /etc/hosts inside a small window
C-t B
Display the content of acpi -b
C-t K
Display the keys the ssh-agents holds.
C-t A
Launch the scripts ssh-add-identities that adds the keys i work with to the ssh-agent
C-t C-o
Launch the image reader (here eog)
C-t n
Launch nautilus
C-t C-s
Launch a window screenshot.
etc…
~/.stumpwmrc
Here is my setup:
;; -*- stumpwm -*- ;; ========================== Loading dependency libraries (load "~/quicklisp/setup.lisp") ;; ========================== Debugging properties (uncomment first) ;; (ql:quickload :swank) ;; (ql:quickload :clx) ;; (ql:quickload :clx-truetype) ;; (ql:quickload :cl-ppcre) ;; (ql:quickload :cl-xembed) ;; (ql:quickload :stumpwm) ;; (defun swank () ;; (setf *top-level-error-action* :break) ;; (swank:create-server :port 4005 ;; :style swank:*communication-style* ;; :dont-close t) ;; (echo-string (current-screen) ;; "Starting swank. M-x slime-connect RET RET, then (in-package stumpwm).")) ;;(swank) ;; ========================== Beginning setup of stumpwm (in-package :stumpwm) (use-package :ql-clj) (load "~/.stumpwm-functions.lisp") (set-prefix-key (kbd "C-;")) (setf *contrib-dir* "~/repo/perso/stumpwm/contrib/") ;; load a few modules ;; (mapcar #'load-module '("cpu" ;; "mem" ;; "battery-portable" ;; "net" ;; "wifi" ;; "disk")) ;; up the debug level (see ~/.xsession-errors) ;; (setf stumpwm::*debug-level* 0) ;; set the font for the message bar and input bar ;; (set-font "-*-FreeMono-medium-r-*-*-6*") ;; (set-font "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--1*") ;; (set-font "-xos4-terminus-medium-r-normal--14-140-72-72-c-80-iso8859-7") ;; (set-font "-xos4-terminus-medium-r-normal--0-0-72-72-c-0-iso8859-7") ;; (set-font "-*-dina-medium-r-normal-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*") ;; (set-font "-lispm-fixed-medium-r-normal-*-13-*-*-*-*-*-*-*") ;; (set-font "-artwiz-smoothansi-medium-r-normal--13-130-75-75-m-60-iso8859-1") (set-font "-unknown-DejaVu Sans Mono-normal-normal-normal-*-16-*-*-*-m-0-iso10646-1") (set-normal-gravity :bottom) (setf *message-window-gravity* :bottom-left) (setf *input-window-gravity* :bottom-left) (setf *frame-number-map* "abcdefghijklmnopqrst") (setf *window-format* "%m%n%s nm=%50t cl=%c id=%i") ;;; Window Appearance ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of regular windows. (setf *normal-border-width* 0) ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of windows with maxsize or ratio hints. (setf *maxsize-border-width* 0) ;; The width in pixels given to the borders of transient or pop-up windows. (setf *transient-border-width* 0) ;;(run-commands "restore-from-file ~/.stumpwm.screendump") ;;Set the mouse focus policy to ignore the mouse (setf *mouse-focus-policy* :click) ;; :click, :ignore, :sloppy (defun key-seq-msg (key key-seq cmd) "Show a message with current incomplete key sequence." (declare (ignore key)) (or (eq *top-map* *resize-map*) (stringp cmd) (let ((*message-window-gravity* :bottom-right)) (message "~A" (print-key-seq (reverse key-seq)))))) (add-hook *key-press-hook* 'key-seq-msg) ;; ========================== setup ;; xenity - shell command with output inside a zenity popup window (zenity-category ((ssh-add-list "List the keys the user-agent holds" "ssh-add -l" "K") (cat-etc-environment "Display the content of /etc/environment" "cat /etc/environment" "E") (cat-etc-hosts "Display the content of /etc/hosts" "cat /etc/hosts" "H") (sbin-ifconfig "/sbin/ifconfig" "/sbin/ifconfig" "I") (acpi-cmd "Display battery" "/usr/bin/acpi -b" "B"))) ;; run-or-raise application based on the class name of the window + deactivating the touchpad (ror-tpd-off-category ((terminal "terminal" "gnome-terminal --hide-menubar -x tmux -2" "Gnome-terminal" "x") (myemacs "emacs" "~/bin/emacs/emacs.sh" "Emacs" "e") (conkeror "conkeror" "conkeror" "Conkeror" "c"))) ;; run-or-raise application based on the class name of the window + activating the touchpad (ror-tpd-on-category ((firefox "firefox" "firefox" "Firefox" "f") ;;(gnome-control-center "gnome-control-center" "gnome-control-center" "Gnome-Control-Center" ",") ;;(control-center "cinnamon-control-center" "cinnamon-control-center" "Cinnamon-control-Center" ",") (settings "cinnamon-settings" "cinnamon-settings" "Cinnamon-settings.py" ",") (video-player "totem" "totem" "Totem" ".") (evince "evince" "evince" "Evince" "C-e") (eog "eog" "eog" "Eog" "C-i") (pinta "pinta" "pinta" "Pinta" "d") (gimp "gimp" "gimp" "Gimp" "I") (audacious "audacious" "/usr/bin/audacious" "Audacious" "C-a") (jconsole "jconsole" "/usr/bin/jconsole" "sun-tools-jconsole-JConsole" "C-j") (jvisualvm "visualvm" "~/applications/visualvm/bin/visualvm" "java-lang-Thread" "j") (arduino "arduino ide" "arduino" "processing-appBase" "C-c") ;;(intellij-idea "intellij-idea" "~/bin/ide/idea.sh" "jetbrains-idea-ce" "j") ;;(eclipse "eclipse ide" "~/bin/ide/eclipse.sh" "Eclipse" "i") )) ;; run-or-raise application based on the instance of the window + activating the touchpad (ror-id-tpd-on-category ((xephyr-gnome "xephyr - gnome" "~/bin/xephyr/xephyr.sh gnome" "Xephyr" "C-x") (xephyr-xmonad "xephyr - xmonad" "~/bin/xephyr/xephyr.sh xmonad" "Xephyr" "C-X") (wireshark "wireshark" "gksudo wireshark" "wireshark" "C-w") ;; (nautilus "nautilus" "nautilus" "nautilus" "n") (nemo "nemo" "nemo" "nemo" "n") (thunar "thunar" "thunar" "thunar" "N") (yEd "yed" "~/bin/app/yed.sh" "sun-awt-X11-XFramePeer" "y") (filezilla "filezilla" "/usr/bin/filezilla" "filezilla" "C-f") (virtualbox "virtualbox" "virtualbox" "Qt-subapplication" "C-v") (unetbootin "unetbootin" "unetbootin" "unetbootin" "u") (transmission "transmission-gtk" "/usr/bin/transmission-gtk" "transmission-gtk" "/") (gparted "gparted" "gksudo /usr/sbin/gparted" "gpartedbin" "G") (file-progress "file progress" "" "file_progress" "F") (xosview "xosview" "xosview" "xosview" "X") (baobab "baobab" "baobab" "baobab" "b") (gitk "gitk" "gitk" "gitk" "z") (fbreader "fbreader" "fbreader" "fbreader" "C-f") (lighttable "LightTable" "~/applications/LightTable/LightTable" "ltbin" "C") (tux-guitar "TuxGuitar" "/usr/bin/tuxguitar" "TuxGuitar" "M-t") (skype "skype" "/usr/bin/skype" "skype" "C-c"))) ;; run shell command - Simply execute shell command (run-shell-command-category ((suspend "Suspend" "gksudo pm-suspend" "C-S") (hibernate "Hibernate" "gksudo pm-hibernate" "C-H") (ssh-add-identities "Load ssh identities in ssh-agent" "~/bin/ssh/ssh-add.sh" "A") (switch-to-proxy "Switch to proxy." "gksudo ~/bin/proxy/proxy.sh on && ~/bin/wifi/nm-applet.sh stop" "p") (switch-to-no-proxy "Switch to no proxy." "gksudo ~/bin/proxy/proxy.sh off && ~/bin/wifi/nm-applet.sh stop" "P") (dec-brightness "Brightness decrement" "~/bin/brightness/dec-brightness.sh 5" "C-b") (inc-brightness "Brightness increment" "~/bin/brightness/inc-brightness.sh 5" "C-f") (min-brightness "Minimum screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/min-brightness.sh" "m") (half-brightness "Half screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/half-brightness.sh" "C-M") (max-brightness "Maximum screen brightness" "~/bin/brightness/max-brightness.sh" "M") (inc-sound "Increase sound" "exec amixer set Master 5%+" "M-f") (dec-sound "Decrease sound" "exec amixer set Master 5%-" "M-b") (toggle-sound "Toggle sound" "exec amixer set Master toggle" "M-m") (wifi-off "wifi off" "~/bin/wifi/wifi-off.sh" "C-o") (wifi-on "wifi on" "~/bin/wifi/wifi-on.sh" "O") (lock-session "Lock the session" "~/bin/session/lock.sh" "C-M-l") (evince-haskell-prog "read functional approach in haskell" "evince ~/books/haskell/algorithms-a-functional-programming-haskell-approach.pdf" "'"))) ;; shell command - Simply execute shell command and possibly output the result in the screen (shell-command-category ((top "Display a single 'top' frame." "top -b -n 1 -c -d 1" "^") (screenshot "Take a screenshot for the current window." "/usr/bin/scrot -u $HOME/Pictures/screenshot_$(date +%F_%H-%M-%S).png" "C-s") (screenshot-mouse "Take a screenshot with mouse selection." "~/bin/touchpad/toggle-touchpad-manual.sh 1; /usr/bin/scrot -s $HOME/Pictures/screenshot_$(date +%F_%H-%M-%S).png" "M-s"))) ;; ========================== simple binding (define-key *root-map* (kbd "o") "fselect") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-r") "exec") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "Q") "loadrc") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-q") "quit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-u") "move-window up") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-r") "move-window right") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-d") "move-window down") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-l") "move-window left") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "-") "vsplit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "|") "hsplit") (define-key *root-map* (kbd "M-x") "colon") (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-h") 'input-delete-backward-char) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-M-h") 'input-backward-kill-word) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-j") 'input-submit) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-m") 'input-submit) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "C-i") 'input-complete-forward) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "M-p") 'input-history-back) (define-key *input-map* (kbd "M-n") 'input-history-forward) (defcommand scroll-forward-browser () () "Scroll forward in firefox" (play-commands "firefox" (kbd "C-v") "myemacs")) (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-M-]") "scroll-forward-browser") (defcommand scroll-backward-browser () () "Scroll backward in firefox" (play-commands "firefox" (kbd "M-v") "myemacs")) (define-key *root-map* (kbd "C-M-[") "scroll-backward-browser") ;; ========================== Help (setf *help-map* (let ((m (make-sparse-keymap))) (define-key m (kbd "m") "man") (define-key m (kbd "i") "info") (define-key m (kbd "v") "describe-variable") (define-key m (kbd "f") "describe-function") (define-key m (kbd "k") "describe-key") (define-key m (kbd "w") "where-is") m)) ;; gimp (define-frame-preference "gimp" (1 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role nil) (0 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-toolbox") (2 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-dock") (1 t t :create "gimp-dump" :class "Gimp" :title nil :role "gimp-image-window")) ;; courtesy of Peter Seibel ;; (defmacro with-gensyms ((&rest names) &body body) ;; `(let ,(loop for n in names collect `(,n (gensym))) ;; ,@body)) ;; (defmacro program-with-layout (name &key (command (string-downcase (string name))) ;; (props `'(:class ,(string-capitalize command)))) ;; (with-gensyms (s w h files-path layout rules) ;; `(defcommand ,name () () ;; (let* ((,s (current-screen)) ;; (,w (prin1-to-string (screen-width ,s))) ;; (,h (prin1-to-string (screen-height ,s))) ;; (,files-path "/home/tony/.gimp") ;; (,layout (concat ,files-path ,command "-layout-" ,w "x" ,h)) ;; (,rules (concat ,files-path ,command "-rules"))) ;; (gnew ,command) ;; (restore-from-file ,layout) ;; (restore-window-placement-rules ,rules) ;; (run-or-raise ,command ,props) ;; (place-existing-windows))))) ;; (program-with-layout gimp) (defun hostname () (run-shell-command "/bin/hostname" t)) ;; ========================== cursor - https://github.com/stumpwm/stumpwm/wiki/GrabbedPointer (setf *grab-pointer-foreground* (xlib:make-color :red 0.1 :green 0.25 :blue 0.5)) (setf *grab-pointer-background* (lookup-color (current-screen) "DeepSkyBlue")) (setf *grab-pointer-character* 88) (setf *grab-pointer-character-mask* 88) (setf *grab-pointer-font* "fixed")
src: .stumpwmrc
Last points
It's "emacs compatible". The prefix key is C-t whereas the prefix key of emacs is mostly C-x. They work well together and they have a lot in common in their usability.
Here is a screencast which presents rapidly how to use it.