random openbox chatter

[fuscia]

so as not to bog down the desktop pics thread, i've started this openbox thread. (watch no one show up now.) i'll be right back...

[curuxz]

*stands around* erm what are we suposed to do now we HAVE shown up?

Im confused and mostly I want to go home

[raublekick]

thank you, fuscia!

ok so here goes: i added Gaim to my menu, right below Web browser. Great! Now, is there a way I can make a sub menu isntead? i'm sure there is, i've just never used xml before.

next, i need some sort of panel with a clock and other stuff on it. in installed pypanel but have no idea how to use it. obconf has the dock section, but i see no dock.

third and final question for now: can you use GTK+2 themes at all, or am i stuck with gtk+?

[fuscia]

Originally Posted by raublekick thank you, fuscia!

my pleasure.

ok so here goes: i added Gaim to my menu, right below Web browser. Great! Now, is there a way I can make a sub menu isntead? i'm sure there is, i've just never used xml before.

obmenu will cure all your ills, my friend.

next, i need some sort of panel with a clock and other stuff on it. in installed pypanel but have no idea how to use it. obconf has the dock section, but i see no dock.

you can enter pypanel in the terminal, put it on your menu (i have 'on' and 'off' in sub-menues for both pypanel and conky), or put pypanel & exec openbox in your .xinitrc file and it will start upon logging in.

i never have, don't currently, nor ever will get this 'dock' thing. meh.

third and final question for now: can you use GTK+2 themes at all, or am i stuck with gtk+?

i've made a few of my own openbox themes. they're easy to make. i wouldn't know a gtk theme unless i knew it were a gtk theme.

*stands around* erm what are we suposed to do now we HAVE shown up? Im confused and mostly I want to go home

now, now. patience...

[PapaWiskas]

Originally Posted by fuscia you can enter pypanel in the terminal, put it on your menu (i have 'on' and 'off' in sub-menues for both pypanel and conky), or put pypanel & exec openbox in your .xinitrc file and it will start upon logging in.

How did you do that...what is the command to turn a particular program off and on. I have pypanel entry that will turn it on, but not one to turn it off.

Also I used feh to set a background, but when I logged back in the background was blank again....how do I get my desktop image to stay?

[fuscia]

Originally Posted by PapaWiskas How did you do that...what is the command to turn a particular program off and on. I have pypanel entry that will turn it on, but not one to turn it off.

select 'new menu' and make it pypanel, then create a 'new item' for 'on' and one for 'off. for 'on' the command is simply pypanel. for 'off'. the command is killall pypanel.

Also I used feh to set a background, but when I logged back in the background was blank again....how do I get my desktop image to stay?

no idea. i change my wallpaper so often, i 'don't care if it's not there when i log in.

[PapaWiskas]

Originally Posted by fuscia select 'new menu' and make it pypanel, then create a 'new item' for 'on' and one for 'off. for 'on' the command is simply pypanel. for 'off'. the command is killall pypanel.

.
Thank you for the help on that..

Originally Posted by fuscia no idea. i change my wallpaper so often, i 'don't care if it's not there when i log in.

That made me laugh so hard I almost wet myself....

[rolypolycat]

Hello!

I realize this may be a stupid question, but I am a bit puzzled by these terms.
First of all, thanks to urukrama's great guide and the help I got on this thread. For the first time since starting linux 3 years ago, I have successfully built a desktop from bits and pieces, and everything is working. Now that I've played around a bit, I'd like to try other stuff; ie, other bits and pieces. That's where my question comes in.
Exactly what is the difference between a panel, task list, system tray, launchers, docks, and pagers? I thought they all were part of the panel, as one unit,(I use the xfce4-panel), but from what I've read here, these can be used separately? Does a panel come with all this stuff: a clock, virtual desktops, space to quicklaunch programs, or is this all handled separately by other programs, and just lumped under the panel? Would using a bunch of little programs to get the same effect actually help memory use on my older machine, or just one do-it-all-panel-thingy?
System trays and panels sound like the same thing to me; likewise, docks and pagers. Are these different, or just different words for the same programs?
These are the basic functions I'm shooting for: some way to have at least 3 virtual desktops, a place to iconify or minimize a program, and a few things like a clock, terminal, maybe a few shortcuts for much used programs,(but not on the desktop) and in some way that uses even less memory.
Also what is the difference between a server install, alternate install and a cli install, apart from the size of the disk's download? Do all these methods basically install, or come pre-installed, with the same initial setup; then you add everything else.
Sorry for so many questions, but I want to learn more before I start tampering with the working setup I have now. Right now, I'm using pcmanfm, openbox,and xfce4-panel. I like the first 2, but I'm open to suggestions on the rest.
Thanks in advance!

[egon spengler]

Originally Posted by PapaWiskas Also I used feh to set a background, but when I logged back in the background was blank again....how do I get my desktop image to stay?

Feh creates a file called ~/.fehbg with the path to the last set background. If you add the line [code]eval `cat .fehbg`/[code] to your .xinitrc it should set the background on start. I assume you can add something similar to an openbox autostart file but of course you'd need the full path.

A better, imo of course, wallpaper setter is nitrogen. I got no idea if it's in Dapper repos but it wasn't in Breezy and so you may need to compile though

edit:
Forgot to say, planet openbox is worth a look

[t0p]

Originally Posted by fuscia i've made a few of my own openbox themes. they're easy to make. i wouldn't know a gtk theme unless i knew it were a gtk theme.

Ho ho ho!