AfterStep FAQ

Andrew Sullivan (asullivan@sprint.ca)

1. General information

• 1.1 What is AfterStep?
• 1.2 What is its history?
• 1.3 What are its main features?
• 1.4 Is it compatible with fvwm-2?
• 1.5 Where can I get this FAQ?
• 1.6 Who contributes to this FAQ?
• 1.7 What are the AfterStep-related mailing lists?

2. Getting and installing AfterStep

• 2.1 Where do I get AfterStep?
• 2.2 What is the latest version of AfterStep?
• 2.3 I've compiled AfterStep for my system but every time I try to use it I
• 2.4 How can I install AfterStep without being root?

3. Problems After Installation

• 3.1 How do I enable sound in AfterStep?
• 3.2 I grabbed TkStep and Tcl7.6 and tried to install TkStep, but it doesn't
• 3.3 Why doesn't ASCP run on my system?
• 3.4 I don't want so many desktops in version 1.4.x or later; I want to change
• 3.5 I keep losing things on the desktop; the desktop is bigger than my pager
• 3.6 I'm running Solaris, and have had problems with the alphasort()

4. AfterStep Configuration

• 4.1 What's a .steprc, and why do I need it anyway?
• 4.2 I'm using AfterStep 1.4, and I can't find the .steprc. Why?
• 4.3 What are "look", "feel", "desktop", etc. files?
• 4.4 I hate the  /GNUstep/* hierarchy. Why can't I have my .steprc in
• 4.5 I'm using RedHat, and I can't find the configuration files you've mentioned.

5. Icons, graphics and pixmaps

• 5.1 Icons staying put
• 5.2 Colormap issues
• 5.3 Icons disappear from Wharf. What's wrong?
• 5.4 How do I create an icon with a transparent pixel?
• 5.5 Why doesn't program `xyz' work in 16bpp?
• 5.6 Why doesn't xv do `xyz' in 16bpp?
• 5.7 Why don't icon names change when the application changes it?
• 5.8 Suddenly, some windows stay always on top. Why?
• 5.9 Can you add `xyz' to the Wharf?

6. Modules

• 6.1 How do I get multiple Wharfs/Pagers on the screen?
• 6.2 How can I get ASclock to appear properly in Wharf?
• 6.3 How do I configure asclock to use fewer colors?

7. General usage, features and bugs

• 7.1 Why does AfterStep get slower and slower until I restart it?
• 7.2 Click-to-focus dies
• 7.3 What is this `Shade' thing?
• 7.4 When I restart AfterStep, it kills X. What gives?
• 7.5 What is swallow-exec?
• 7.6 I upgraded to 1.0pre4 or later, and now the Wharf doesn't work. What

8. Miscellany

• 8.1 How do I use Microsoft Windows (tm) True Type fonts ?
• 8.2 What is this WindowMaker I keep hearing about in the list?
• 8.3 What is ASCP?
• 8.4 What is TkStep and why do I want it?

9. Other AfterStep-unrelated applications

• 9.1 I have a problem with program `xyz'
• 9.2 Why am I having `xyz' problem/how do I do `xyz' with a terminal window?