Re: FVWM: `Exec exec foo' v. `Exec foo'

[Ben Winslow]

Norvell Spearman wrote:

fvwm-2.5.4

I've noticed when I put something like `Exec exec xterm' in my .fvwm2rc
file, I lose colorization of file types (`set' shows LS_COLORS to have
no value.  If I use just `Exec xterm' all the colors are there (`set'
shows LS_COLORS with all its regular values) but then I wonder about
what's in the fvwm man page:

``Without that [the added `exec'], the shell that fvwm invokes to run your
command stays until the command exits.  In effect, you'll have twice as
many processes  running as you need.  Note that some shells are smart
enough to avoid this, but it never hurts to include the "exec" anyway.''

The shell I use is /bin/bash.  That shows up when I type `env' and I set
it explicitly with the ExecUseShell command near the top of my .fvwm2rc.

When I do a `ps -ax' both with and without the `exec', I see two
processes:  one for xterm and one for /bin/bash (Does this also explain
why iconifying one xterm window sometimes causes FvwmEvent to play two
quasi-synchonous sounds?).  According to the man page, should there not
be only one process when using `Exec exec xterm' or is my bash
configuration possibly broken in some way?

Thanks for any help regarding this.

--
Ben

I would guess that when you do Exec xterm, the environment you started X with is being inherited, and when you do Exec exec xterm, the environment is being cleared. Try putting xterm*loginShell: true in your ~/.Xresources (or ~/.Xdefaults if appropriate), or starting xterm like: Exec exec xterm -xrm 'loginShell: true'

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