FvwmConsole(1)

✨ FvwmConsole ✨ (manual name: FvwmConsole(1), Fvwm Modules)

Okay bestie, let's get into it 💖

🎀 NAME

FvwmConsole — an fvwm command input interface 💅

🦋 SYNOPSIS

Module FvwmConsole [options]

FvwmConsole can only be invoked by fvwm. Command line invocation of the FvwmConsole module will not work 🙈 so don't even try it, babe.

🌸 DESCRIPTION

So FvwmConsole lets you type fvwm configuration commands right into it and they run immediately ⚡ It's literally so good for testing out new config ideas, or for making temporary changes to your setup. Main character energy 👑

🧚 INVOCATION

FvwmConsole has to be spawned as a module by fvwm. It takes all of the xterm(1) options too 🫶

You can invoke it by putting the line Module FvwmConsole in your .fvwm2rc file. Pop it on its own line if you want it to spawn during fvwm's initialization, or bind it to a menu, mouse button, or keystroke so it shows up later on. Iconic 🔥

💜 CONFIGURATION OPTIONS

FvwmConsole runs on xterm(1), so all the xterm resources get inherited unless you override them with command line options. Lowkey perfect 🌈

Module FvwmConsole -g 40x10 -fg black -bg green3

You can swap in a different terminal emulator with the -terminal option. Heads up though: only terminal programs that understand -name, -title and -e will work 🎀

Module FvwmConsole -terminal rxvt

Older versions of FvwmConsole used a -e option to pick a different front-end. It's still around for backwards compatibility, but its use is discouraged unless you know exactly what you're doing 😭

Module FvwmConsole -e FvwmConsoleC.pl

(see FvwmConsoleC.pl(1)).

You can also set X resources in your ~/.Xdefaults file:

FvwmConsole*VT100*geometry: 40x4
FvwmConsole*font: 7x14

🍓 COMMAND EDITING

There are a few options here. If the GNU readline library is available, you can use it ✨

If Perl5 is installed, FvwmConsoleC.pl can act as your command editor. You can do this by either copying FvwmConsoleC.pl into the fvwmlib directory as FvwmConsoleC, or by invoking FvwmConsole with the -e option. For example:

Module FvwmConsole -e FvwmConsoleC.pl

If neither one is installed, FvwmConsole falls back to a simple input reading function that has no editing capabilities. Bummer 💀

GNU readline and FvwmConsoleC.pl share a bunch of frequently used commands by default, and they're emacs-style 🫶 For more details, check out the GNU readline man and info pages, plus the FvwmConsoleC.pl man page.

Ctrl-A  - beginning of line
Ctrl-B  - previous char
Ctrl-D  - delete char
Ctrl-E  - end of line
Ctrl-F  - next char
Ctrl-H  - backspace
Ctrl-K  - erase to the end of line
Ctrl-N  - next line
Ctrl-P  - previous line
Ctrl-R  - search reverse
Ctrl-U  - delete line
Meta-B  - previous word
Meta-F  - next word
Esc <   - beginning of history
Esc >   - end of history

🚪 EXITING

To stop FvwmConsole, enter the EOF character (usually CTRL-D) 🦋

Note! Do not type the quit command. It's an fvwm builtin, so typing "quit" at the FvwmConsole command line will make fvwm exit. Not the vibe 💀

💫 SEE ALSO

xterm(1), FvwmConsoleC.pl(1), GNU Readline library 📚

👑 AUTHOR

FvwmConsole is the original work of Toshi Isogai. Iconic creator behavior 💖

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Signing off! This page is from Fvwm Modules, with the 2.7.0 version dated 19 October 2022 (3rd Berkeley Distribution) 🌈💜 Stay iconic, bestie 🫶✨