#+title: Compiling xmobar

* Getting the source

  If you don't have =cabal-install= installed, you can get xmobar's source
  code in a variety of ways:

  - From [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/xmobar/][Hackage]]. Just download the latest release from xmobar's hackage
    page.

  - From [[http://codeberg.org/xmobar/xmobar/][Codeberg]]. There are also tarballs available for every tagged
    release on [[https://codeberg.org/xmobar/xmobar/releases][Codeberg's releases page]]

  - From the bleeding edge repo. If you prefer to live dangerously, just
    get the latest and greatest (and buggiest, I guess) using git:

    #+begin_src shell
      git clone git://codeberg.org/xmobar/xmobar
    #+end_src

* C library dependencies
  :PROPERTIES:
  :CUSTOM_ID: c-libraries
  :END:

  To build xmobar you will need the Xorg and Pango/Cairo C-libraries and
  headers installed in your system.  In Debian and derivatives that's easily
  accomplished via

  #+begin_src shell
    apt-get install -y xorg-dev libxrandr-dev libpango1.0-dev
  #+end_src

  and, optionally, in order to be able to build all available extensions and
  plugins:

  #+begin_src shell
    apt-get install -y libasound2-dev libxpm-dev libmpd-dev
  #+end_src

* Compilation using cabal

  If you have cabal installed, you can now use it from within xmobar's source
  tree:

  #+begin_src shell
    cabal install --flags="all_extensions"
  #+end_src

* Compilation using stack

  There is also a =stack.yaml= file that will allow you to install the
  xmobar executable with

  #+begin_src shell
    stack install
  #+end_src

  See the =stack.yaml= file for the enabled extensions. You can also pass
  them to =stack= directly:

  #+begin_src shell
    stack install --flag xmobar:all_extensions
  #+end_src

* Compilation flags
  :PROPERTIES:
  :CUSTOM_ID: optional-features
  :END:

   You can configure xmobar to include some optional plugins and features,
   which are not compiled by default. To that end, you need to add one or more
   flags to either the cabal install command or the configure setup step.

   Extensions need additional Haskell packages (listed below) that will be
   automatically downloaded and installed if you're using cabal install.
   Otherwise, you'll need to install them yourself.

** Optional features

   - =with_dbus= Enables support for DBUS by making xmobar to publish a
     service on the session bus. Requires the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/dbus][dbus]] package.

   - =with_threaded= Uses GHC's threaded runtime. Use this option if xmobar
     enters a high-CPU regime right after starting.

   - =with_xrender= Enables the main bar background alpha parameter.  Requires
     the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/X11-xft/][X11-xft]] package.  The Xrender extension is not compatible with 10-bit
     colour modes, i.e., setting ~DefaultDepth~ to 30 in your Xorg
     configuration.  See discussion in [[https://codeberg.org/xmobar/xmobar/issues/651][issue 651]] for details.

   - =with_xpm= Support for xpm image file format. This will allow loading
     .xpm files in =<icon>=. Requires the [[http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libXpm][libXpm]] C library.

** Optional plugins

   The following plugins and monitors are optional.  You can enable them all
   at once using the flag ~all_extensions~, or one by one with the following
   flags:

   - =with_mpd= Enables support for the [[http://mpd.wikia.com/][MPD]] daemon. Requires the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/libmpd/][libmpd]]
     package.

   - =with_mpris= Enables support for MPRIS v1/v2 protocol used by the plugins
     of the same name. Requires the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/dbus][dbus]] and [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/text][text]] packages.

   - =with_inotify= Support for inotify in modern Linux kernels. This option is
     needed for the ~MBox~ and ~Mail~ plugins to work. Requires the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hinotify/][hinotify]]
     package.

   - =with_nl80211= Support for wireless cards on Linux via nl80211 (all
     upstream drivers). Enables the ~Wireless~ plugin. Requires [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/netlink][netlink]] and
     [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/cereal/][cereal]] packages.

   - =with_alsa= Support for ALSA sound cards. Enables the Volume plugin.
     Requires the [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/alsa-mixer][alsa-mixer]] package.  To install the latter, you'll need
     the [[http://packages.debian.org/stable/libasound2-dev][libasound]] C library and headers in your system (e.g., install
     =libasound2-dev= in Debian-based systems).

   - =with_datezone= Support for other timezones. Enables the DateZone
     plugin. Requires [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/timezone-olson][timezone-olson]] and [[http://hackage.haskell.org/package/timezone-series][timezone-series]] package.

   - =with_weather= Support to display weather information. Enables Weather
     plugin.

   Finally, the following flags enable plugins not included by ~all_extensions~:

   - =with_uvmeter= Enables the ~UVMeter~ plugin. The plugin shows UV data for
     Australia.

   - =with_kraken= Enables the ~Kraken~ plugin.

   - =with_iwlib= Support for wireless cards via Wext ioctls (deprecated).
     Enables the ~Wireless~ plugin. You will need the [[http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Tools.html][iwlib]] C library and
     headers in your system (e.g., install =libiw-dev= in Debian-based systems
     or =wireless_tools= on Arch Linux). Conflicts with =with_nl80211=.