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CWM

CWM is an X11 window manager with a focus on getting out of your way so you can be productive. It was originally derived from evilwm, but the codebase has since been re-written from scratch.

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Installation

Once you finish installing Archcraft, CWM can be installed on the top of it. It's pre-configured and ready to go. Open a terminal and run the following command to install CWM :

$ sudo pacman -Sy archcraft-cwm

Configuration

CWM is pre-configured in Archcraft. In this section, We'll see how the CWM window manager is configured, what tools and utilities are used to make it look and work like a complete desktop environment.

Config Structure

The configuration structure of CWM in Archcraft looks something like this:

/usr/bin/run-cwm   : Autostart programs
~/.cwmrc : main cwm config file
~/.cwm : cwm config directory
├── alacritty : terminal config
├── scripts : scripts used for cwm
├── theme : desktop theme (polybar, rofi configs)
├── dunstrc : dunst config for notifications
├── picom.conf : compositor config
└── xsettingsd : gtk themes, icons and fonts config file

Terminal

Alacritty is the default terminal. In the CWM window manager, alacritty is launched with an alternative config file. If you need to change anything, make sure you modify the config files in ~/.cwm/alacritty directory. These are the following config files you can modify to change the behaviour of your terminal:

~/.cwm/alacritty/alacritty.toml : Main configuration file
~/.cwm/alacritty/colors.toml : Colors configurations
~/.cwm/alacritty/fonts.toml : Fonts configurations

If you need any help with alacritty config, run : man 5 alacritty in terminal.

Notification

Dunst is used as a notification daemon for notifications in CWM. In the CWM window manager, dunst is launched with an alternative config file, which is ~/.cwm/dunstrc. So, If you need to modify anything, make sure you edit this file.

If you need any help with dunst config, run : man 5 dunst in terminal.

Wallpaper

hsetroot sets the wallpaper in the CWM. If you want to change the wallpaper, Edit /usr/bin/run-cwm script and add the path to your wallpaper :

# Restore wallpaper
hsetroot -cover '/path/to/your/wallpaper'

Statusbar

Polybar is used as the statusbar in Archcraft's CWM window manager.

The configurations for polybar can be found inside the theme directory directory of CWM ~/.cwm/theme

If you want to modify the polybar settings, or perhaps want to add/remove modules, then you need to edit the following files :

~/.cwm/theme/polybar/config.ini : Main config file
~/.cwm/theme/polybar/colors.ini : Colors config file
~/.cwm/theme/polybar/modules.ini : Modules config file

If you need any help with polybar config, visit : polybar wiki

Launchers and Applets

Rofi is used for application launchers, command runner and various applets. To modify the rofi config, edit ~/.config/rofi/config.rasi file.

If you need any help with rofi config, run : man rofi in terminal.

The scripts for rofi that are used in CWM can be found it ~/.cwm/scripts directory. These are the following scripts that uses rofi to provide the launchers and applets in CWM :

rofi_askpass : rofi based sudo frontend to get root password
rofi_asroot : applet to open apps as root
rofi_bluetooth : bluetooth applet to quickly connect to BT devices
rofi_launcher : an application launcher, cmd runner, file manager and task manager
rofi_music : music applet, that controls MPD with mpc
rofi_powermenu : power menu, with confirmation dialog
rofi_runner : quickly lets you run a command
rofi_screenshot : screenshot applet that works with maim

If you want to modify any applet or perhaps want to extend the functionality of the applet, just edit these scripts above.

The configuration of each script can be found inside the theme directory of CWM ~/.cwm/theme

Let's say you want to modify the looks of launcher, then you need to edit the ~/.cwm/theme/rofi/launcher.rasi file. Same goes for every other applet, Edit the respective file in the same directory.

If you need any help with rofi theming, run : man rofi-theme in terminal.

To change the colors and fonts of the launchers and applets, Edit the ~/.cwm/theme/rofi/shared/colors.rasi and ~/.cwm/theme/rofi/shared/fonts.rasi files.

Compositor

Picom is used for compositing. It's a lightweight compositor with shadowing, advanced blurring and fading. In CWM, picom is launched with an alternative config file, which is ~/.cwm/picom.conf.

If you need to change anything related to picom, Edit this picom config file.

If you need any help with picom config, check the picom's default config file in /etc/xdg/picom.conf

info

If you're having screen-tearing issues, using glx backend can solve this issue.
If you're facing lagging, hangs and freezes, try switching between xrender and glx backend.

Window Manager

The configuration of CWM is available in your home directory. To configure CWM window manager, this is the main file that is used :

~/.cwmrc : main configuration file responsible for determining the behaviour and settings of the overall session. Edit this file to configure keybindings, colors, menu and cwm appearance.

If you need any help with cwm configuration, run : man cwm and man cwmrc in terminal.

Keybindings

Here's a list of some important keybinds you need to know for operating CWM easily. If you want to view, modify or add new keybinds, Edit ~/.cwmrc file.

Applications

KeysAction
super + ReturnOpen terminal (alacritty)
super + shift + ReturnOpen fullscreen terminal
super + FOpen file manager (thunar)
super + EOpen text editor (geany)
super + WOpen web browser (firefox)
KeysAction
superOpen application launcher
alt + F1Open application launcher
alt + F2Open command runner
super + NOpen network manager applet
super + BOpen bluetooth applet
super + MOpen music applet
super + XOpen powermenu applet
super + SOpen screenshots applet
super + ROpen apps as root applet
alt + ctrl + WLaunch window search menu
alt + ctrl + ALaunch application search menu
alt + ctrl + GLaunch group search menu

Hardware Keys

KeysAction
PrintTake screenshot
alt + PrintTake screenshot in 5 seconds delay
shift + PrintTake screenshot in 10 seconds delay
ctrl + PrintTake screenshot of currently focused window
super + PrintTake screenshot of selected area
XF86AudioRaiseVolumeIncrease volume
XF86AudioLowerVolumeDecrease volume
XF86AudioMuteToggle mute speakers
XF86AudioMicMuteToggle mute microphone
XF86MonBrightnessUpIncrease display brightness
XF86MonBrightnessDownDecrease display brightness

Groups

KeysAction
super + NUMShow only group NUM, where NUM is 1-9, hiding other groups
super + shift + NUMHide current window from display and move to group NUM, where NUM is 1-9
super + alt + NUMToggle visibility of group NUM, where NUM is 1-9
super + ctrl + NUMClose all windows in group NUM, where NUM is 1-9
super + shift + BShow only the previously active group
super + shift + AToggle visibility of all groups
super + shift + GToggle group membership of current window
ctrl + alt + Right/LeftForward/Reverse cycle through groups

Window Management

KeysAction
super + C/QClose focused client
super + TabForward/Reverse cycle through windows
alt + TabForward/Reverse cycle through windows in current group
super + IHide current window
super + TFreeze current window geometry
super + shift + RLabel current window
super + OStick current window to all groups
super + SpaceFullscreen current window
super + shift + SpaceMaximize current window
ctrl + alt + VVertically maximize current window
ctrl + alt + HHorizontally maximize current window
ctrl + alt + shift + VVertically maximize current window placing it in left of the screen
ctrl + alt + shift + HHorizontally maximize current window placing it at top of the screen
super + shift + Left/Right/Up/DownMove window by 10px directionally
super + shift + H/J/K/LMove window by 100px directionally
super + ctrl + Left/Right/Up/DownResize window by 10px directionally
super + ctrl + H/J/K/LResize window by 100px directionally
super + Left/Right/Up/DownSnap window to the screen edges
super + H/J/K/LSnap window to the screen edges

Window Manager

KeysAction
super + ctrl + RRestart CWM
super + ctrl + QQuit CWM

Misc Keys

KeysAction
ctrl + alt + MRun ncmpcpp with album art
ctrl + alt + LTrigger lockscreen
super + PRun colorpicker

Mouse Bindings

ButtonAction
alt + Button_1Raise current window
alt + Button_3Lower current window
alt + Button_2Hide current window
super + Button_1Move current window
super + Button_3Resize current window
super + Button_2Freeze current window geometry
Button_1Launch window search menu
Button_3Launch application search menu
Button_2Launch group search menu

Screenshots

Here's few screenshots of CWM desktop. These'll give you an idea of the experience of CWM in Archcraft.

Desktop 1Desktop 2Desktop 3Desktop 4
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Desktop 5Desktop 6Desktop 7Desktop 8
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Desktop 9Desktop 10Desktop 11Desktop 12
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FAQs

How to update my config to new configs?

When a new version of Archcraft CWM get released, And you update the system by sudo pacman -Syu or you update the CWM package by sudo pacman -S archcraft-cwm, New config files get installed as ~/.cwm_pacnew_YYYY-MM-DD and ~/.cwmrc_pacnew_YYYY-MM-DD in your home directory.

To use new configs :

  • backup your old ~/.cwm directory and ~/.cwmrc file
  • move ~/.cwm_pacnew_YYYY-MM-DD to ~/.cwm
  • move ~/.cwmrc_pacnew_YYYY-MM-DD to ~/.cwmrc
  • logout and login again.
How to change GTK theme, icons and cursor?

To change GTK theme, icons and cursor in CWM session, Edit ~/.cwm/xsettingsd file and restart CWM to apply the changes.

Net/ThemeName "Arc-Dark"
Net/IconThemeName "Arc-Circle"
Gtk/CursorThemeName "Future"
How to manage multiple monitors and resolution in CWM?

If you use multiple monitors with CWM window manager, you can manage them by running Manager Monitors or archcraft-randr app.

Why Alacritty is not working on my computer?

Since Alacritty is a OpenGL based terminal emulator, It may not work on some computer hardwares. You can make it work on such computers by following these methods :

  1. Open alacritty with LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 variable. Edit the keybindings/script launching alacritty and replace alacritty with LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 alacritty
  2. Edit /usr/share/applications/Alacritty.desktop desktop file and replace Exec=alacritty with Exec=env LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 alacritty