This manual describes the usage and configuration of the WindowMaker window manager. It is intended for both users - who never used the X Window System and for users who have experience with other window managers.
- -How to Read this guide If you never have used a X window manager, you should read all of this guide, as it contains - detailed instructions for new users.
- -Text in sans serif font, indicate instructions you must follow to accomplish a given task. If you're out of time (or - patience), you should at least read text in these parts.
- -You can ignore the text in Extra Bindings boxes while you're getting familiar with WindowMaker. Once you've got - familiar with it, you can read the text in these boxes to learn more ways to accomplish tasks.
- -If you come from the Windows or MacOS world, you might be confused about all these things like window managers, X - windows etc.
- -In the Unix world, the task of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) is normally divided by 3 different - components:
- -the window server; the window manager and the user interface toolkit. The window server is standard and is usually - the X Window System or some vendor provided compatible version of it. The X Window System, or X for short, is a window - server. It's function is to provide a portable and high-level access to devices like keyboard, mouse and video display. - It allows applications to show graphical information on the display through rectangular areas called windows.
- -Most user interface objects, like buttons, menus and scrollers are made of windows. The top level windows displayed - by applications are named windows as well. These objects are not provided by the window server. These must be made by - the application program or by the user interface toolkit.
- -For more information, read the manual page for X(1) and the documentation for Xlib.
- -The primary function of the window manager is to control the layout of top level windows on screen. WindowMaker is a - window manager. It provides a titlebar and a resizebar to change window layout, application menus to launch - applications and execute special commands, application icons, miniwindows and an application dock. They will be - explained in more detail in the following chapters.
- -The user interface toolkit is a library or collection of libraries that provide an API for application developers to - program the interfaces for their applications. Toolkits generally provide controls like buttons, menus, radio-buttons - etc to be used for program interaction. There are currently many of these toolkits available for X. Motif - â„¢, OpenLook â„¢, and Athena are examples of toolkits.
- -All other features normally found in other operating systems, like file managers, are implemented as separate - programs and are not directly related to the window manager.
diff --git a/docs/chap1.rst b/docs/chap1.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..89242a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/chap1.rst @@ -0,0 +1,64 @@ +--- +layout: default +title: User Guide - Introduction +--- + +Introduction +============ + +This manual describes the usage and configuration of the Window Maker window +manager. It is intended for both users who never used the X Window System and +for users who have experience with other window managers. + +How to Read this guide If you never have used a X window manager, you should +read all of this guide, as it contains detailed instructions for new users. + +Text in sans serif font, indicate instructions you must follow to accomplish a +given task. If you're out of time (or patience), you should at least read text +in these parts. + +You can ignore the text in Extra Bindings boxes while you're getting familiar +with Window Maker. Once you've got familiar with it, you can read the text in +these boxes to learn more ways to accomplish tasks. + +What is a window manager? +------------------------- + +If you come from the Windows or MacOS world, you might be confused about all +these things like window managers, X windows etc. + +In the Unix world, the task of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) is +normally divided by 3 different components: + +the window server; the window manager and the user interface toolkit. The +window server is standard and is usually the X Window System or some vendor +provided compatible version of it. The X Window System, or X for short, is a +window server. It's function is to provide a portable and high-level access to +devices like keyboard, mouse and video display. It allows applications to show +graphical information on the display through rectangular areas called windows. + +Most user interface objects, like buttons, menus and scrollers are made of +windows. The top level windows displayed by applications are named windows as +well. These objects are not provided by the window server. These must be made +by the application program or by the user interface toolkit. + +For more information, read the manual page for X(1) and the documentation for +Xlib. + +The primary function of the window manager is to control the layout of top +level windows on screen. Window Maker is a window manager. It provides a +titlebar and a resizebar to change window layout, application menus to launch +applications and execute special commands, application icons, miniwindows and +an application dock. They will be explained in more detail in the following +chapters. + +The user interface toolkit is a library or collection of libraries that provide +an API for application developers to program the interfaces for their +applications. Toolkits generally provide controls like buttons, menus, +radio-buttons etc to be used for program interaction. There are currently many +of these toolkits available for X. Motif, OpenLook, and Athena are examples of +toolkits. + +All other features normally found in other operating systems, like file +managers, are implemented as separate programs and are not directly related to +the window manager.