---
name: "FvwmSaveDesk"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "fvwm-common"
version: "2.0.46-BETA-3"
release: "Debian 2.1 (Slink)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/FvwmSaveDesk/1x"
---

# FvwmSaveDesk(1x)

another FVWM desktop-layout saving module

## NAME

FvwmSaveDesk - another FVWM desktop-layout saving module

## SYNOPSIS

FvwmSaveDesk is spawned by fvwm, so no command line invocation will work.

## DESCRIPTION

The Fvwm2 can be compiled so that you can run both version concurently. Therefor the filenames must be different. I compiled Fvwm with this option. Two file will be used in this documentation: *.fvwm2rc (.fvwmrc)* and *.fvwm2desk (.fvwmdesk)*

When called, this module will attempt to save your current desktop layout as a definition of extra lines for the function InitFunction into the file *.fvwm2desk* in your home directory. As explain in the other documation, this function is called at startup of fvwm2. You have to include this file in *.fvwm2rc* after the definition of the Function Initfunction. You can do this by using the module *FvwmM4* or  *FvwmCpp.*

Your applications must supply certain hints to the X window system. *Emacs* and *Netscape* , for example, does not, so FvwmSaveDesk can't get any information from it.

Also, FvwmSaveDesk assumes that certain command line options are globally accepted by applications, which may not be the case.

## SETUP USING FVWMM4 MODULE

The M4 Macro processor substitutes its macros even in the middle of a  word. Because of that you may have problems with predefined macros such as include or define. To avoid this the GNU M4 has an extra option to prefix all builtins with 'm4\_'. FvwmM4 can be called with option -m4-prefix and then will provide the option -P to M4. I personally use the FvwmM4 module this way.

fvwm2 -f "FvwmM4 -m4-prefix -m4opt -I$HOME $HOME/.fvwm2rc"

Simply add the following line to the end of .fvwm2rc:

m4\_include(\`.fvwm2desk') .

## SETUP USING FVWMCPP MODULE

With the FVWMCPP you may have the problem that the preprocessor directives starts with the comment charakter '#' and will complain about unknown directives, if you have comments in your .fvwm2rc.

fvwm2 -f "FvwmCpp -C-I$HOME $HOME/.fvwm2rc"

Simply add the following line to the end of .fvwm2rc:

\#include ".fvwm2desk"

## INVOCATION

FvwmSaveDesk can be invoked by adding it to a menu or binding it to a  mouse button or keystoke in the  *.fvwm2rc* file. Fvwm2 will search directory specified in the ModulePath configuration option to locate FvwmSaveDesk.

To insert it to a menu, add the line

\+	"Save Desktop" Module FvwmSaveDesk

to the menu defintion. I thing binding it to a mouse button is not very useful, but you can do that, by adding for example this line.

Mouse 3		R	CS	Module FvwmSaveDesk

Than FvwmSaveDesk will be called if you hit the right mouse button on the root window while holding the shift and control button down.

You can bind FvwmSaveDesk to a function key F10 for example you have to insert the following line:

Key	F10	A	Module FvwmSaveDesk

I personally add it as a Button to the module FvwmButtons:

\*FvwmButtons SaveDesc desk.xpm   Module FvwmSaveDesk

## AUTHOR

Carsten Paeth (calle@calle.in-berlin.de)