Window Maker Files

After running wmaker.inst, the GNUstep directory is created in the users home directory. ~/GNUstep is where the user configureable, definietion files for Window Maker are stored. The second level of GNUstep holds two directories:
  1. Defaults
  2. Library

Defaults Directory

The Defaults directory is where the configuration files are kept. These files define the customized layout of the users Window Maker desktop, the root menu, sounds, and themes. /usr/local/etc/WindowMaker/ (may differ if you installed Window Maker to another directory) is the location that holds the default configuration files. When wmaker.inst is executed, the files in /usr/local/etc/WindowMaker/ are copied to ~/GNUstep/Defaults. The default files that are installed in ~/GNUstep/Defaults are: If you have installed the Window Maker Sound Server, then you will also need this file: As you use and configure Window Maker, you may also see other files appear here like:

WindowMaker

The WindowMaker file is the main configuration file that controls settings such as:

WMWindowAttributes

This file holds the attributes for different applications and appicons. This includes what icon to use, and other behavior. The best way to edit this menu is to use the attributes menu that appears when and icon or title bar of an application window receives a right mouse click.

WMState

The WMState window holds the current dock settings. The Window Maker developers recommend that you do not edit this window by hand, since changes are automatically made when an item is docked. If you wish to edit this file manually, do so outside of Window Maker, since any changes you make will be overwritten by an active Window Maker session.

WMRootMenu

The items that appear on the root menu are defined in the WMRootMenu file. This file is best altered using WPrefs.app, but can be edited by hand.

WMGLOBAL

The WMGLOBAL file holds some special variables that define items like the system font, path to the Floppy drive, extra mouse definetions (i.e.; scroll wheel). Here is the default WMGLOBAL that ships with Window Maker 64.0: 
{
  SystemFont = "-*-helvetica-medium-r-normal-*-%d-*-*-*-*-*-*-*";
  BoldSystemFont = "-*-helvetica-bold-r-normal-*-%d-*-*-*-*-*-*-*";
  FloppyPath = "/floppy";
  MultiByteText = AUTO;
  DoubleClickTime = 250;
  MouseWheelUp = Button4;
  MouseWheelDown = Button5;
}

WMSound

Sounds defined for specific events and sound file paths are defined in the WMSound file. Also, the path to the sound device is defined here. This file must exist before the WSoundPrefs.app can be executed. When WSoundPrefs is installed, the WMSound file is not created. Therefore, it is up to the user to create this file by hand, or download the sample file and copy it to the appropriate location. The WMSound file should be copied to the default location of the Window Maker default configuration files. For example, WMSound should be copied to /usr/local/etc/WindowMaker/ so that when wmaker.inst is executed, WMSound will appear in the users GNUstep/Defaults directory. If WSoundServer and WSoundPrefs are installed after wmaker.inst has been run, then each user must have the WMSound file copied or created in their GNUstep/Defaults directory before sound can be used.

WPrefs

WPrefs defines the appearance and user defined settings for the WPrefs.app.

Library Directory

There are two directories that appear under the Library directory:

The Icons directory is pretty self-explanatory, this is a location for individual users to store icons they want or created. The users GNUStep/Defaults/WindowMaker file should have a path specified to this location under the IconPath setting so that their icons will be useable.

The WindowMaker directory holds user Backgrounds, IconSets, Pixmaps, Sounds, Styles, and Themes. Also in this file is the autostart and exitscript scripts that control what happens when Window Maker starts and stops.

There are two types of menus files to be found in this directory: Property List menus (menu, menu.??) and plain text menus (plmenu, plmenu??). The menu.?? and plmenu.??'s (replace ?? with appropriate letters) are different language menus (i.e.; menu.es for Spanish) . Both menu and plmenu are English language menus. Property List menus are how laid out like the default WMRootMenu. Plain text menus are laid out in a different fashion and must be used differently. The Property List menus can be used to replace the default root menu (WMRootMenu) by simply moving the desired menu file over to GNUstep/Defaults/ and renaming it WMRootMenu (I suggest backing up the original file first). To use a plain text menu, you must place the path to the menu in the WMRootMenu file encased in double quotes. For more information, consult the README file in this directory.