[MPlayer-users] Automatic Video Window Placement

[DaveG]

On Tuesday 16 March 2010, James Board wrote:
> > First off, not "everyone" runs gnome.
>
> Yes, I know.  I'm mildly mocking the argument software developers use when
> they support only a single desktop.

Understood (now :-) )

> > Secondly, window placement is a function of your window
> > manager  - the clue is in the name.
>
> Right. And, in my case, the window manager isn't placing the window on
> the screen automatically.  That's the problem I have, and that's the
> problem I'm trying to fix.  Any help would be mucho appreciated.

Not all window managers auto place a window.

> > What do you mean by running gnome with a different window
> > manager?  Which one? 
> > And are starting the whole Gnome system on top of another
> > window manager?
>
> If I use the 'twm' window manager with Gnome (just set the WINDOW_MANAGER
> environment variable to 'twm', then restart X11), then automatic window
> placement in mplayer doesn't work.

Yes.  twm doesn't auto-place windows.  You have to move/click it in to place.

> > What do you mean by running X11 without gnone?  You
> > get a grey screen with
> > black X mouse pointer?  Or do you mean you are running
> > the default TWM (hint,
> > that's a window manager, a seperate programme from
> > X11. 
>
> You can run twm without running Gnome.  Just put 'twm' in your .xinitrc
> file.  If you do, then automatic placement of the video window in mplayer
> doesn't work.

You can also run x11 without a window manager.  A long, long time ago I ran a 
bash shell from .xinitrc which ran a script for playing videos/music from a 
simple menu.  mplayer -fs for full screen mode "just worked".  I didn't try 
it in a window and I'm not even sure how I did it now.  There was definitly 
something about geomtry, font and screen size involved such that the "shell 
window" was full screen.

Is this anything like what you are trying to do?

-- 
Dave