# Configuration

## Configuration Files

The configuration file is used to describe mouse and button bindings, colors, the virtual display size, and related items. The initialization configuration file is typically called `config` (or `.fvwm2rc`). By using the command, it is easy to read in new configuration files as you go.

Lines beginning with '#' are ignored by fvwm. Lines starting with '*' are expected to contain module configuration commands (rather than configuration commands for fvwm itself). Like in shell scripts embedded newlines in a configuration file line can be quoted by preceding them with a backslash. All lines linked in this fashion are treated as a single line. The newline itself is ignored.

Fvwm makes no distinction between configuration commands and action commands, so anything mentioned in the fvwm commands section can be placed on a line by itself for fvwm to execute as it reads the configuration file, or it can be placed as an executable command in a menu or bound to a mouse button or a keyboard key. It is left as an exercise for the user to decide which function make sense for initialization and which ones make sense for run-time.

## Supplied Configuration

A sample configuration file, is supplied with the fvwm distribution. It is well commented and can be used as a source of examples for fvwm configuration. It may be copied from `/usr/local/share/fvwm/config` file.

Alternatively, the built-in menu (accessible when no configuration file is found) has options to create an initial config file for the user.