[lug] detecting which window manager?

[D. Stimits]

Michael Hirsch wrote:
> On 6/27/05, D. Stimits <stimits at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>>I'm using fedora, but that should be irrelevant to this question. I'm
>>wondering is there any way to detect which window manager is being used?
>>
>>This should be easy, but I'm stumped, ps aux shows nothing relevant. I'm
>>set to use kdm for login...apparently the window manager is not set as
>>an argument to kdm or X servers. Window managers themselves appear to
>>not be a process, at least not when launched under kdm...this would make
>>sense though, as kdm runs at all times, and the window manager to run is
>>not known till the user starts a session. I was digging around in
>>/etc/X11/, could not find anything that would definitively tell me. In
>>/etc/sysconfig/desktop, the only relevant entries are for DESKTOP="KDE"
>>and DISPLAYMANAGER="KDE"...but I'm under the impression that KDE is
>>*not* a window manager, just a login manager. Am I wrong? Is KDE also a
>>window manager? Or am I running something else like sawfish or icewm?
> 
> 
> KDM is a login manager that is part of the KDE project.  KDE is an
> integrated desktop environment--and that includes a window manager. 
> When you look at the list of processes do you see lots named
> "kdeinit"?  If so, they you are running KDE and KDE is your window
> manager.

I didn't realize that it was also an integrated window manager...I was 
thinking it was just a login manager like gdm or xdm. Now I know :)

> Under KDM you can usually choose to run with KDE, GNOME, IceWM, or
> some other desktop.  There usually is a default, but the easiest thing
> to do is pick the one you want.  I thought that Fedora defaulted to
> GNOME, but I don't use it and won't swear to it.

I don't use Gnome, it is indeed the default. I always set it to KDE 
though. There are features I like about both KDE and Gnome...but overall 
I tend to prefer KDE.

D. Stimits, stimits AT comcast DOT net