diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation.hs | 51 |
1 files changed, 34 insertions, 17 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation.hs b/Documentation.hs index 40db456..0f32a63 100644 --- a/Documentation.hs +++ b/Documentation.hs @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ -- Stability : unstable -- Portability : unportable -- --- This is a module for documenting the xmonad-contrib library +-- This is a module for documenting the xmonad-contrib library. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module Documentation -- ** A simple example -- $example - -- ** Checking your xmonad.hs is correct + -- ** Checking whether your xmonad.hs is correct -- $check -- ** Loading your configuration @@ -105,23 +105,36 @@ module Documentation {- $configure -xmonad is configured by creating and editing the Haskell file: +xmonad can be configured by creating and editing the Haskell file: > ~/.xmonad/xmonad.hs -xmonad then uses default settings from this file as arguments to the -window manager. +If this file does not exist, xmonad will simply use default settings; +if it does exist, xmonad will use whatever settings you specify. Note +that this file can contain arbitrary Haskell code, which means that +you have quite a lot of flexibility in configuring xmonad. + +NOTE for users of previous versions (< 0.5) of xmonad: this is a major +change in the way xmonad is configured. Prior to version 0.5, +configuring xmonad required editing an xmonad source file called +Config.hs, recompiling xmonad, and then restarting. From version 0.5 +onwards, however, all you have to do is edit xmonad.hs and restart +with @mod-q@; xmonad does the recompiling itself. The format of the +configuration file has also changed; it is now simpler and much +shorter, only requiring you to list those settings which are different +from the defaults. -} {- $example -Here is a basic example, which takes defaults from xmonad, and -overrides the border width, default terminal, and some colours: +Here is a basic example, which starts with the default xmonad +configuration and overrides the border width, default terminal, and +some colours: > -- > -- An example, simple ~/.xmonad/xmonad.hs file. -> -- It overrides a few basic settings, reusing all the other defaults, +> -- It overrides a few basic settings, reusing all the other defaults. > -- > > import XMonad @@ -146,13 +159,15 @@ in the file: > XMonad/Config.hs +However, note that you should not edit Config.hs itself. + -} {- $check -Place this text in @~\/.xmonad\/xmonad.hs@, and then check that it is -syntactically and type correct, by loading it in the Haskell -interpreter: +After changing your configuration, it is a good idea to check that it +is syntactically and type correct. You can do this easily by loading +your configuration file in the Haskell interpreter: > $ ghci ~/.xmonad/xmonad.hs > GHCi, version 6.8.1: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/ :? for help @@ -168,14 +183,16 @@ Ok, looks good. {- $load -To have xmonad start using your settings, try @mod-q@. xmonad will -attempt to compile this file, and run it. If it is unable to, the -defaults are used. This requires GHC and xmonad are in your @$PATH@ -settings. If GHC isn't in your path, you can still compile the -@xmonad.hs@ file yourself: +To get xmonad to use your new settings, type @mod-q@. xmonad will +attempt to compile this file, and run it. If everything goes well, +xmonad will seamlessly restart itself with the new settings, keeping +all your windows, layouts, etc. intact. If something goes wrong, the +previous (default) settings will be used. Note this requires +that GHC and xmonad are in your @$PATH@. If GHC isn't in your +path, you can still compile @xmonad.hs@ yourself: > $ cd ~/.xmonad -> $ ghc --make xmonad.hs +> $ /path/to/ghc --make xmonad.hs > $ ls > xmonad xmonad.hi xmonad.hs xmonad.o |