4.3. Workspace Manager
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### 4.3. Workspace Manager

Figure 19. Front Panel Workspace Manager

Workspace Manager is a Widget in the center of the Front Panel. Visually, it replicates in almost a pixel similarity with the center of the CDE's Workspace Manager's buttons, but with a few exceptions beneath the surface and further configuration:

- There is a limited number for possible of workspaces. There can be no odd number of workspaces, and combinations are: 2, 4, 6 and 8. Default is of course 4.

  Figure 20. Workspace Manager for setup with 6 Workspaces

- If `InfoStore` variable wsm.eco is defined as "InfoStoreAdd wsm.eco 1" in user's profile `$FVWM_USERDIR/NsCDE.conf`, WSM buttons will not be fixed in width as in CDE. In that case, Workspace Manager will not extend a width of the Front Panel, rather buttons will be more wide in 2-buttons combination, and more narrow in 6 and specially 8 button combination. By default, buttons are all of the same width and they are extending or narrowing the cummulative Front Panel width size if changed from default 4 workspaces to 2, 6 or 8 workspaces.

- As in CDE, workspace names can be renamed. There is a keyboard combination in FvwmScript WSM which enters rename mode: Ctrl+Space on the current active workspace button, while pointer is above it. Then, Ctrl+Enter saves a new name. Names are synchronized with FVWM desktop names and used in the rest of the configuration. Names are saved in `$FVWM_USERDIR/WSM.conf`, and EWMH desktop names are applied immediately in a existing X11 NsCDE session. Workspaces can also enter rename mode if their workspace buttons are clicked with 3rd mouse button and Rename ... option choosen from the popup menu.

- If Sun type keyboard is in use, Help key above WSM will bring this help text in documentation browser. On PC keyboard, F1 has the same function.

- Addition: right mouse button on workspace button brings contextual menu. From this menu, the following items can be selected:

  1. Default acion (activate workspace),

  2. Rename ... to rename the workspace

  3. Manage ... to call Workspace and Page Style Manager Popup menu

  4. Submenu item Go to Page ... for changing the active page on the that workspace, which will of course change active workspace to that where page was selected.

  5. Local Pager, Local Pager (visual FvwmPager) (for a workspace, not necessarily the current one)

  6. The last option Windows ... to bring up Window List menu, with window items for that workspace

  Figure 21. Workspace Manager Button Popup

- Number of Workspaces and Pages can be configured with the Workspace and Pages Style Manager tool.

State of the buttons is synchronized by FVWM function called from FvwmEvent(1) module whenever desks and pages are changed by other means, such as keyboard shortcut, mouse move, or by issuing direct commands to FvwmCommand(1).

In 4-color palette mode, all WSM buttons are of the same color, while in 8-colors mode, there are four color variations from the given palette.

Workspaces in NsCDE are named and numbered from 1, while in FVWM (where they are called desks), they start from 0. This fact required additional effort while coding FvwmScripts and making core configurations.

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