AfterStep FAQ

Andrew Sullivan (asullivan@sprint.ca) and Andrew Ferguson (adftt@xoommail.com)

1. General information

• 1.1 About this document.
• 1.2 What is X, and what is a window manager?
• 1.3 What is AfterStep?
• 1.4 What is its history?
• 1.5 What are AfterStep's main features?
• 1.6 Is it compatible with fvwm-2?
• 1.7 Is it GNOME-compliant?
• 1.8 Is it available for Microsoft Windows-based machines?
• 1.9 Who contributes to this FAQ?
• 1.10 What is the AfterStep-related mailing list?

2. Getting and installing AfterStep

• 2.1 Where do I get AfterStep, AfterStep applets, or help?
• 2.2 What is the latest version of AfterStep?
• 2.3 What do I need to install AfterStep?
• 2.4 How can I install AfterStep without being root?
• 2.5 How do I upgrade my version of AfterStep?
• 2.6 Why do I keep getting compile errors?
• 2.7 Why do I keep getting an error referring to sgmltools?
• 2.8 Why can't I get AfterStep to compile on SGI or SCO?
• 2.9 Will AfterStep compile correctly on FreeBSD?
• 2.10 Will AfterStep work on Mac OS X?
• 2.11 Will it work under CDE?

3. Problems After Installation

• 3.1 I receive the message: Cannot open display. What should I do?
• 3.2 I just upgraded to version 1.5 or later; why don't I see a difference?
• 3.3 I installed version 1.5 or later; why can't I get AfterStep to work?
• 3.4 A note about dependency-controlling packaging and filesystems
• 3.5 How do I change feature xyz in version 1.4.x or later?
• 3.6 The desktop is bigger than my pager indicates.
• 3.7 I'm running Solaris, and have had problems with the alphasort() function.
• 3.8 I reduced the number of buttons in my titlebars, and now AS crashes.

4. AfterStep Configuration

• 4.1 What's a .steprc, and why do I need it anyway?
• 4.2 I'm using AfterStep 1.2 or later, and I can't find the .steprc. Why?
• 4.3 OK, so how do I customize non-.steprc versions?
• 4.4 I just upgraded versions, and now nothing works.
• 4.5 Where are all the configuration files?
• 4.6 How do I change my startmenu?
• 4.7 I use Red Hat, and I keep losing my startmenu changes. Why?
• 4.8 Where did the "Decorations" item go in version 1.5?
• 4.9 What are "look," "feel," "database," etc. files?
• 4.10 How do I change my looks and feels?
• 4.11 Can I have differently-sized buttons on the titlebar?
• 4.12 Fine, but how do I reduce the number of buttons on the titlebar?
• 4.13 How do I change the function of some button or keystroke?
• 4.14 What's MyStyle?
• 4.15 Why does some key not work as I expect?
• 4.16 Why can't I have my .steprc in version 1.4.x or later?
• 4.17 I'm using Red Hat, and I can't find the configuration files you've mentioned.
• 4.18 What is the database file?
• 4.19 What is the base.{yourbpp}bpp file?
• 4.20 How do I get apps to minimize to a different place?
• 4.21 I keep losing my icons, or I can't stand having them follow me.
• 4.22 Suddenly, some windows stay always on top. Why?
• 4.23 Can I make or install a "theme" for AfterStep?
• 4.24 I want to do xyz with {some application under X}. How do I do it?

5. Icons, graphics and pixmaps

• 5.1 Colormap issues
• 5.2 Icons disappear from Wharf. What's wrong?
• 5.3 How do I create an icon with a transparent pixel?
• 5.4 How do I make my own XPMs?
• 5.5 Where can I find some cool pixmaps for the Wharf or desktop?
• 5.6 Why doesn't program `xyz' work in 16bpp?
• 5.7 Why doesn't xv do xyz in 16bpp?
• 5.8 Why don't icon names change when the application changes it?
• 5.9 Why does application xyz not have an icon?
• 5.10 Why do I get bad behaviour with backgrounds?

6. Modules

• 6.1 How do I get multiple Wharfs/Pagers on the screen?
• 6.2 How can I get asclock to appear properly in Wharf?
• 6.3 How do I configure asclock to use fewer colors?
• 6.4 Why does asclock show the wrong time?
• 6.5 Why does my latest version of MaxSwallow do odd stuff?
• 6.6 What's wrong with WharfAnimate?
• 6.7 Can you add xyz to the Wharf?
• 6.8 Can I have swallowed apps under a folder?
• 6.9 Can I have a folder within a folder?
• 6.10 Can I have two columns in my Wharf?
• 6.11 Why can't I find the man page for Wharf?
• 6.12 Why can't I get my application to launch correctly Swallowed under Wharf?
• 6.13 Where is the background picture (root window image) set?
• 6.14 My Pager doesn't support JPEGs or PNGs. Is there a way to force it to?
• 6.15 How do I set the Pager size?
• 6.16 Is it's possible for an app to wait for the background to get loaded?
• 6.17 What are WPager, XPager, etc., for?
• 6.18 Why can't I get XPager, YPager, or the like to work?
• 6.19 My XPager doesn't seem to load my background. What's wrong?
• 6.20 How can I get rid of the desk name in my Pager?
• 6.21 How do I start an application on a specific desk or page?
• 6.22 What's wrong with the mouse buttons in the Pager?
• 6.23 How can I have more/fewer/larger desktops?
• 6.24 Fine, but how do I get the pager off the desk entirely?
• 6.25 How do I enable sound in AfterStep?

7. AfterStep Application ("as-apps") configuration.

• 7.1 How do I find out the latest about AfterStep Applications?
• 7.2 What's the difference between as-apps and modules?
• 7.3 I want to add a pixmap to the background of *term
• 7.4 I want my *term to start as the login shell.
• 7.5 How do I get that cool transparent xterm?
• 7.6 I am having trouble with asmix or asmixer and Wharf
• 7.7 I upgraded AfterStep, and now my as-apps look funny in the Wharf.
• 7.8 How do I use asmail?
• 7.9 What is ascp?
• 7.10 I tried to install TkStep, but it doesn't work with TkStep and Tcl7.6
• 7.11 Why doesn't ascp run on my system?
• 7.12 Can I use Window Maker applets in AfterStep?

8. General usage, features and bugs

• 8.1 Why does XFree86 crash as I'm starting?
• 8.2 Why does AfterStep get slower and slower until I restart it?
• 8.3 Click-to-focus dies
• 8.4 What is this `Shade' thing?
• 8.5 What is swallow-exec?
• 8.6 Why doesn't my workspace save when I exit?
• 8.7 My start menu no longer updates upon restarting. Why?

9. Miscellany

• 9.1 How do I use Microsoft Windows (tm) True Type fonts ?
• 9.2 What is this Window Maker I keep hearing about?

10. Other AfterStep-unrelated applications

• 10.1 I have a problem with program xyz.