Script to run X11 clients on the fly?

[neilms]

I would like to use the console a lot more than I do. The problem is that if I run Gnome or another desktop system, I never use the console and end up relying on doing things only in the GUI environment.

Ideally, it would suit me if I could just start an X11 application from the console, whenever I need it. For example, suppose I want to use xine to watch a video or firefox to browse the web. Now after I have finished watching the video or browsing the web, I want to return to the darkness of the console.

I know I could simply do something like: 'startx' then in the default window manager I could start my X11 application and simply quit the default window manager afterwards. Is there a way that I could automate this by a script in my home directory that will be invoked if I start an X11 application?

I do not know anything at all about writing script commands and would be grateful if you could help me with this.

 

[graudeejs]

If I understand correctly: you want to use console more.

No problem. Just install some minimal Window Manager like fvwm, fluxbox, openbox, fvwm, i3, xmoand or any other.

Ideally don't even install gnome/kde and don't install file manager. You will use console (well actually virtual terminal. I recomment rxvt-unicode all the time

 

[mwatkins]

neilms, what you envision is how I use FreeBSD (or Linux) on my desktop and laptop.

I generally install X and xfce4 so that I'll have some useful system applets installed, and once in a while I'll start up xfce4, but my default session runs the x11-wm/dwm window manager, a very simple very light tiling wm. With the companion menu utility installed, x11/dmenu running any GUI client is alt-P away; of course you can do this from the command line but the fast auto completion via alt-P is very convenient for GUI apps.

Most of my time is spent in text mode vim sessions writing code or documentation, or in terminal windows. I use rxvt-unicode or xfce4's Terminal application, with borders and scrollbars hidden on both.

Why dwm over something like Fluxbox? When I'm working in text mode generally I am loath to reach for the mouse or touchpad (which I disable on laptops) or track point - I want to use vim-like keybindings for window navigation for speed and hand comfort. I also like how the windows are auto sized in tiling window managers like dwm.