How to Install & Configuring Fluxbox Window Manager on Archlinux

Fluxbox is another window manager for X11. It is based on the Blackbox 0.61.1 code, but with significant enhancements and continued development. Fluxbox is light  and fast, yet provides interesting window management tools such as tabbing and grouping. 

Its configuration files are easy to understand and edit and there are hundreds of fluxbox "styles" to make your desktop look great. With FluxBox you can turn an old Pentium 800 box with just 256MB of RAM into a very usable computer.

Fluxbox

To install it:

$sudo pacman -S fluxbox

Then install another software that you needed, ex: terminal, browser, network manager, etc.

To run fluxbox easy way, you can try to install these login manager:
lxdm

$sudo pacman -S lxdm
$sudo systemctl enable lxdm
$sudo systemctl start lxdm

or using slim.

Generating Menu Application on Fluxbox
After you login to fluxbox, generate apps menu with this command, open terminal (xterm, lxterminal, etc).

then type

$fluxbox-generate_menu

Done now fluxbox have add app menu.

But not all application is listed on there, the best way you can using mmaker.

$sudo pacman -S mmaker
$mmaker -f FluxBox

Now all application should available on fluxbox menu.

Change Background / Wallpaper on FluxBOX

To change background you can use feh.

$sudo pacman -S feh

Then

$fbsetbg /path/to/your/imagefiles.jpeg

To make it automaticly set every start.

$chmod 770 ~/.fehbg

Then edit ~/.fluxbox/init

$nano ~/.fluxbox/init

Add at the end of line
session.screen0.rootCommand: ~/.fehbg
like this pic:

Save then logout and relogin to see the results.


Adding Network Setting & Volume Setting on System Tray:

Network Manager Applet:
Install network-manager-applet first

$sudo pacman -S network-manager-applet

Volume Settings:
You can use FBMIX from AUR

$wget https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/fb/fbmix/fbmix.tar.gz
$tar -xvzf fbmix.tar.gz
$cd fbmix
$makepkg -s
$sudo pacman -U *.pkg.tar.xz

to automaticly start at reboot. you can add them on ./fluxbox/startup like this picture:

Here's the result on systemtray:

Add more themes/styles on Fluxbox

Download fluxbox styles on AUR.:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=28743

After you install it. Then create link to /usr/share/fluxbox/styles

$rm -r ~/.fluxbox/styles/
$ln -s /usr/share/fluxbox/styles/ /home/yourusername/.fluxbox/

Done now you can see more themes at styles menu.

Adding True Transparency on Fluxbox
Just install xcompmgr, then set on startup, you can use transparent widget like screenlets, or conky that support it.

$sudo pacman -S xcompmgr

Modify Hotkeys
Simply edit ~/.fluxbox/keys

$nano ~/.fluxbox/keys

Change FB Panel position
Click on Panel, then choose placement, then set your Panel position.


Ok that's it for fluxbox.
Enjoy. :D