Howto: Use OSD with Rhythmbox, X-Chat and others

[Technoviking]

XOSD (http://www.ignavus.net/software.html) (On-Screen Display) displays text on your screen, usually with information for other programs. XOSD works with Gnome, but does not have support for more modern apps.

Gnome-OSD give you support for more modern apps (Rhythmbox, Evolution, X-Chat), plus nice configuration options.

1. Get Gnome-OSD
wget -c http://mikesplanet.net/deb/gnome-osd_0.9.1-1~breezy_all.deb
or
wget -c http://telecom.inescporto.pt/~gjc/gnome-osd/0.9.1/gnome-osd_0.9.1-1_all.deb
2. Install python-gnome2
sudo apt-get install python-gnome2
3. Install Gnome-OSD
sudo dpkg -i gnome-osd_0.9.1-1~breezy_all.deb
4. Press Alt-F2 and run
/usr/bin/rbosd.py
5. To have it run automatically at Gnome launch. add the following to System --> Preferences --> Sessions --> Start-up Programs
/usr/bin/rbosd.py
I gave mine a startup order of 81, but anything above 50 should be fine.

Source: http://mikesplanet.net/src/gnome-osd_0.9.1-1~breezy.tar.gz

Let me know if you have any problems,
Mike

[matthew]

Hey, Mike,

Cool deal you have here. Couple of comments on the how-to.

I don't know if everyone will have python-gnome2 installed--I didn't on my Dapper test box where I installed this first. Since it's a dependency you might make a mention of it, to look and see if it's installed. Since it was installed on my Breezy box, and that is the release this was written for, this probably isn't an issue.

Also, someone will miss this step at 1.5:
sudo dpkg -i gnome-osd_0.9.1-1~breezy_all.deb
I like this...thanks!

[Technoviking]

ACK!!!:-\" I got a call while typing this. Thanks for catching it. The instructions should be fixed now.

Mike

[matthew]

ACK!!!:-\" I got a call while typing this. Thanks for catching it. The instructions should be fixed now.

Mike
That's cool. Those sorts of things are easy to miss...that's why we have another set of eyes look at our work. :) I can't tell you how many times someone else has saved me.

Oh, sorry. I found one more. In step 5 it reads:
System --> Sessions --> Start-up Programs
and should read
System --> Preferences -->Sessions --> Start-up Programs

[Athropos]

Hi,

I just installed it, it works great with rhythmbox, just what I wanted :)
Thanks for this!