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Blackbox

Milo Polte
2001-03-09
2001-09-24
  • Milo Polte

    Milo Polte - 2001-03-09

    While it is not GPL'ed, I just compiled Blackbox and am very pleased with the results.

    Here are the steps I took:
    1) Download version 0.61.0 (the latest stable) from http://blackbox.alug.org/

    2) Unpack in an appropiate directory

    3) cd to the blackbox-0.61.1 and do a ./configure --disable-nls

    4) In the src directory edit i18n.hh and add the line:

    typedef void *nl_catd;

    before the class block.

    5) A "make" and a "make install" was all that was otherwise needed on my machine.

    Blackbox  is giving me consderably better performance than WindowMaker, and the few issues I've had have all been minor.

    --
    Lagos

     
    • jwa

      jwa - 2001-03-10

      Blackbox isn't GPL?  What is it? I couldn't find any mention of it on their web site.

       
      • proclus realm

        proclus realm - 2001-09-24

        FYI, here is an updated look at my .xinitrc.

        # Window Maker default X session startup script

        PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin"
        xset fp+ /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/freefont/
        xset fp+ /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType
        xset fp+ /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/
        xset fp+ /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW/
        xset fp rehash

        # If you login from xdm, uncomment this to make error messages appear
        # in the console window.
        #
        # tail -f /Users/proclus/.xsession-errors > /dev/console &
        MAIL="1"
        xscreensaver -nosplash&
        export MAIL
        #exec gnome-session
        exec ssh-agent sh -c 'ssh-add </dev/null ; exec wmaker'
        #exec twm

        Regards,
        proclus

         
    • Milo Polte

      Milo Polte - 2001-03-10

      The LICENSE file included is the MIT License.

       
    • jwa

      jwa - 2001-03-10

      I tried doing that, and I got an error when it tried to compile BaseDisplay.cc

      BaseDisplay.cc: In method `BaseDisplay::BaseDisplay(char *, char * = 0)':
      BaseDisplay.cc:235: assignment to `void (*)()' from `void (*)(int)'

      So i commented out that line, and it compiled, and when i run blackbox it flashes on the screen then quits, so that must not have been the right thing to do.

       
      • jwa

        jwa - 2001-03-12

        I finally figured out to edit /System/Library/Frameworks/System.framework/Versions/B/Headers/bsd/sys/signal.h

        just search for sa_handler, and when the first one pops up you'll see:
        void (*sa_handler)();
        put "int" inside of the second set of parenthesis so it looks like:
        void (*sa_handler)(int);

        everything appears to be working fine now.

         
        • proclus realm

          proclus realm - 2001-03-12

          Thanks for the tip there, this problem has been driving me nuts!

          Regards,
          proclus

           
        • proclus realm

          proclus realm - 2001-03-12

          hi again.  I didn't run into this problem because I have updated all of my header files from the latest xnu.  Here is what I found.  It is quite nice.

          struct  sigaction {
          #if defined(__cplusplus)
                  void    (*sa_handler)(int);     /* signal handler */
          #else
                  void    (*sa_handler)();        /* signal handler */
          #endif /* __cplusplus */
                  sigset_t sa_mask;               /* signal mask to apply */
                  int     sa_flags;               /* see signal options below */
          };

          I'm sure that there are many such improvements, you might like to do update your header files.

          Regards,
          proclus

           
          • jwa

            jwa - 2001-03-13

            Can one update the header files and not the kernel? Last time I tried to update my kernel it killed my system. Hopefully there will be a binary release of the next Darwin version soon.

             
            • proclus realm

              proclus realm - 2001-03-15

              Heh, well I HOPE that this is allowed, because I have been doing it like mad, swapping in and out whole blocks of headers at a time, all kludged with switches and such.  It is truly abominable!

              ...but it works

              Best Regards,
              proclus

               
    • proclus realm

      proclus realm - 2001-03-12

      Whew! faster than WindowMaker?  I've experimented with about 6 different window managers in GNU-Darwin, and nothing beats WindowMaker in terms of speed.  At least that is my subjective experience. 

      BlackBox must very lean and very mean!  I will have to give it a try.  Thanks for the tip.

      Regards,
      proclus

       
    • jwa

      jwa - 2001-03-14

      Anybody tried using this with fakebuttons enabled? It doesn't seem to be working on my computer.

       
      • proclus realm

        proclus realm - 2001-03-15

        Yea, for some reason I can only get them working under console-mode, not full-screen.  Actually, I would be really surprised if they are working in -aqua mode yet either.

        Well, since I spend almost all my time in console-mode X, it is not a problem for me.  Here is the contents of my .xinitrc, which makes it happen.  Just startx from the main console.

        # Window Maker defaulted X with e-server and Postilion MAIL var.

        PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin"

        # If you login from xdm, uncomment this to make error messages appear
        # in the console window.
        #
        # tail -f /Users/proclus/.xsession-errors > /dev/console &
        MAIL="1"
        export MAIL
        ESPEAKER=medici.penguinpowered.com
        export ESPEAKER

        #exec xfwm
        #exec gnome-session
        #exec enlightenment
        exec wmaker
        #exec blackbox

        Regards,
        proclus

         
        • proclus realm

          proclus realm - 2001-03-21

          Ahh!  I just realized that I gave you the wrong file.  Here are the contents of my .xserverrc, which makes fake buttons happen.

          !#/bin/sh

          /usr/X11R6/bin/X -fakebuttons

          Regards,
          proclus

           
    • proclus realm

      proclus realm - 2001-03-15

      Did I thank you for this excellent tip?  Well I tried it, but I like WindowMaker much better.  To me, they appear to be similar in speed and capability, except for one thing.  BlackBox has not iconic dock.

      Well, I love the iconic dock; which lines up everything neatly in a row, out of the way, at the very edge of the screen.  I was one of those folks who kludged MacOS to display the control strip before it was actually legal to do so ;-}.  I always had my favorite enhancements for it.  I loved the process strip for example.

      I like WindowMaker even much better.  People are always wondering how I can have so many processes going at once.  These are folks who never thought of using the main console, or exiting from the default window managers like GNOME and KDE.  WindowMaker lets me get alot more work done and faster.  Finally, WindowMaker has the added protection of the GPL.  My head is swimming with adorement!  I see a golden image of WindowMaker in the heavenly city!

      Well... if you are not an iconic thinker, maybe BlackBox would be just as good or better for you than WindowMaker.  I have installed Blackbox on all my computers, so that I can suggest it as an alternative to WindowMaker.  I was shocked to see how fast one can switch between these two elegant window managers.  I am certain that Blackbox will find its way into the distribution at some point.

      leeter than you,
      (just kidding)

      Regards,
      proclus

       
      • Milo Polte

        Milo Polte - 2001-03-16

        Yes. I noticed that as well, and I should have mentioned it (I classified it under the "few minor issues", which I admit was a lie. }:>). I guess I'm just not use to approaching problems through icons (no catholic upbringing or something.)

        Puns aside, When I iconify something, it disappears--No icon, nothing. One has to access the icon menu to restore it. Is this the behavior you are having, Proclus? Blackbox supports dockapps and the like, so this shouldn't be happening.

        In any case, I shall examine this in more detail when I'm not so lazy.

        --
        Lagos
        mp98@cornell.edu

         
        • proclus realm

          proclus realm - 2001-03-17

          Yes, I notice that, the mystery of the disappearing icons.  Interestingly, Postilion, which handles its icon rendering in a rather non standard way, _does_ show up.  My impression is that Blackbox is intending to drop the window icons on the desktop, fvwm style.

          Regards,
          proclus

           

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