The default window manager in Xfce 4 is Xfwm 4 which should be easy to remember. This tool handles window placement, window decorations, workspaces, and compositing. Xfwm 4 also supports customizable themes, or importing existing themes. There are many themes available for Xfce as well.
About Xfwm 4
The placement and look of window buttons can be changed, window fonts can be changed as well. Xfwm 4 also offers convenient tools to help manage keyboard shortcuts.
Finding Your Window Manager Settings
You can use the Xfce4-settings manager to reach most of the window manager settings, just look in your main menu for the system settings button. From there you can open the window manager preferences window.
Users can also change the window manager themes, or window decorations. This will change the look of your opened windows, window buttons, and window fonts.
Theme Directories
Here you can learn all about the storage locations used by Xfwm4. This should help anyone that is having trouble locating all of their installed themes.
Themes Customization
If you want to customize your themes further you can also do that. With a few simple lines of code you can make many cool changes to the Xfwm4 window manager.
The Xfwm 4 window manager also includes a built in compositor which is capable of offering several advanced graphical effects.
Desktop Compositing
The level of graphical effects offered with Xfwm 4 is far lower than what is expected with Compiz or KWin. But Xfwm 4 does offer several options for transparent windows. The opacity of active windows, inactive windows, and even desktop notifications can be changed.
The Xfwm 4 window manager is highly customizable.
Window Themes
Users can try alternative themes for their window decorations. New themes will give your windows a whole new look.
Icon Themes
Users can also try new icons themes for their desktop, Xfce 4 provides many icon themes as well.
Window Fonts
Users can also choose a new default font to use for their windows and applications. The font size can also be changed.
The Xfwm 4 window manager also provides several very helpful graphical user interfaces for your configuration settings. Naturally this window manager is also highly customizable.
Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
From here you can also learn to customize all of your own keyboard shortcuts for basic desktop functions. Be sure to take advantage of this excellent feature of the Xfwm 4 window manager.
Xfce 4 Window Manager Settings
Using the Xfce 4 settings manager you can also find the window manager tweaks button. This will open the window manager tweaks dialog where several other options for your windows and workspaces are stored.
Desktop Compositing
From the window manager tweaks window users can also enable desktop compositing. With window compositing you can get access to several stylish effects including window transparency.
You can also use workspaces to keep your windows organized when using the Xfce 4 desktop. You can switch between these virtual workspaces and move windows between them. This will allow you to separate different tasks to different workspaces to maximize space and cut distractions. You can add as many virtual workspaces as you need, just look in the system settings window.
Workspace Pager
There is a workspace switcher applet inside the top panel that you can use to switch between existing workspaces. Just select the workspace that you want inside the switcher and you will switch to that workspace automatically.
The Xfwm 4 window manager also provides several convenient keyboard shortcuts that you can use to maximize your efficiency.
Window Manager Actions
You will also learn how to open and close windows, maximize and minimize windows, or shade and hide windows. Many useful tricks are included to help you use the Xwm 4 and the Xfce desktop effectively.
Useful Resources
Xfce Docs – Xfwm4 Window Manager
Xfce Wiki – Xfwm4 Theme How-to
Tags: desktop, manager, window, xfce4, xfwm 4 | Posted in Desktop
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