Talk:Xmonad/Using xmonad on Apple OSX

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I suggest the current text is put under the title Tiger and made Tiger specific (which it mostly is).

I'm not going to commit this immediately - among other things I need to check my instructions work.

Leopard

These instructions have been tested on a blank but fully updated system (04/04/09).

Install xmonad

Installing GHC

  1. Install xcode, this can be found on the OSX install disk; it can also be downloaded from apple (you will have to sign upto a free developer account).
  2. Download and install ghc.

Installing Cabal

  1. Download and extract Cabal install from http://www.haskell.org/cabal/download.html
  2. In a terminal: 
    $ cd ''Cabal install directory''; ./bootstrap.sh
  3. Edit your path to contain ~/.cabal/bin . This can be achieved by adding 
    PATH=$PATH:~/.cabal/bin
    to ~/.profile
  4. Open a new shell (the path variable will only take effect on new shells).
  5. Update cabal 
    $ cabal update
  6. Install xmonad 
    $ cabal install xmonad

Install dmenu (optional but recommended)

  1. Download and extract dmenu from http://tools.suckless.org/dmenu
  2. $ cd ''dmenu directory''; sudo make install

Updating X11

The version of X11 shipped with Leopard (04/04/09) does not support going fullscreen on xmonad key combinations. I recommend updating X11. It is likely that a Leopard update will eventually make this step unnecessary. Download and install the latest version from macosforge.

Configuring Your .xinitrc to Run XMonad

write: 

export USERWM=`which xmonad`
exec /usr/X11/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc

to ~/.xinitrc

Alternatively, if this doesn't work (because you haven't updated X11): write: 

export USERWM=`which xmonad`
exec $USERWM

to ~/.xinitrc

Make sure your PATH variable is set up correctly in ~/.profile. Xmonad and dmenu should be in the path. Anything you want to launch from dmenu should be in the path.

Configuring Your Keyboard

I can't find the meta key (xmonad is unusable without it) in the default configuration. I followed this guide (write 

clear Mod1
clear Mod2
keycode 63 = Mode_switch
keycode 66 = Meta_L
add Mod1 = Meta_L
add Mod2 = Mode_switch

to ~/.Xmodmap) and now the meta key is the left alt.

Further Configuring

  • The menu bar shouldn't get in the way (fullscreen or otherwise, updated or standard X11). The Dock however will, I recommend hiding the Dock or always working in fullscreen mode.
  • You can start X11 (and Xmonad) by running any program that uses X, or by running X11.app. If you run X11.app a default program is started. You can configure this program by running 
     $ defaults write org.x.X11 "app_to_run" "gnome-terminal"
    (replace gnome-terminal with a program of your choice). or 
    $ defaults write org.x.X11 "app_to_run" ""
    to have no application run by default.
  • There shouldn't be anything different on OSX about configuring ~/.xmonad/xmonad.hs.

Discussion

  • XMonad and Vimperator (Firefox 3 extension) make a powerful combination on Linux. I cannot achieve this on OSX because the newest X11 version of Firefox I can install is version 2. If anyone has any hints on installing Firefox 3 X11 please share them.
  • It is possible to be a heavy user of OSX and never come across any X11 software. XMonad only works with X11 software- a package manager such as Port is helpful http://www.macports.org/ .
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