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Thread: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    Before I start, I have to give props to herbster, felicity, and camtech for helping me with this problem. Now I am here to pass it on to you.

    So you got Conky working, and you want it to display information on different parts of the desktop. If you have not gotten Conky working, check out these threads:

    Howto: Get a beautiful Conky 1.4.2 setup

    For help with your Conky scripts check this thread:
    Post your .conkyrc files w/ screenshots

    This has been tested with Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn x64 bit, but this should work with 32 bit version.

    Explanation: This is a how-to to get Conky to display information on different parts of your screen. For example, the date at the bottom left and the time at the bottom right.

    Required Items: Conky installed and working properly

    Uninstalling/Undoing: Delete the scripts created

    Before we start, I want to let you know that there are two possible ways of doing this:
    First: (Easier/less tinkering) have as many conky daemons run as there are areas on your desktop that you want information. (2 scripts if you want information at the bottom left and the bottom right). In addition to those scripts you need another script to start that many instances of conky.

    Second: (More tinkering) run conky under one script (.conkyrc) but you separate out the data by using the offset command.

    An example of the offset command is provided by camtech. This is his script below:

    Code:
    # *No longer the* Conky sample configuration
    #
    # the list of variables has been removed from this file in favour
    # of keeping the documentation more maintainable.
    # Check http://conky.sf.net for an up-to-date-list.
    
    # set to yes if you want Conky to be forked in the background
    background no
    
    # X font when Xft is disabled, you can pick one with program xfontsel
    #font 5x7
    #font 6x10
    #font 7x13
    #font 8x13
    #font 9x15
    #font *mintsmild.se*
    #font -*-*-*-*-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
    
    # Use Xft?
    use_xft yes
    
    # Xft font when Xft is enabled
    xftfont Bitstream Vera Sans Mono:size=8
    
    # Text alpha when using Xft
    xftalpha 0.8
    
    # Print everything to stdout?
    # out_to_console no
    
    # MPD host/port
    # mpd_host localhost
    # mpd_port 6600
    # mpd_password tinker_bell
    
    # Print everything to console?
    # out_to_console no
    
    # mail spool
    mail_spool $MAIL
    
    # Update interval in seconds
    update_interval 5.0
    
    # This is the number of times Conky will update before quitting.
    # Set to zero to run forever.
    total_run_times 0
    
    # Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
    own_window yes
    
    # If own_window is yes, you may use type normal, desktop or override
    #options are: normal, desktop, override, utility
    own_window_type override
    
    # Use pseudo transparency with own_window?
    own_window_transparent yes
    
    # If own_window_transparent is set to no, you can set the background colour here
    own_window_colour hotpink
    
    # If own_window is yes, these window manager hints may be used
    own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
    
    # Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
    double_buffer yes
    
    # Minimum size of text area
    minimum_size 280 5
    
    # Draw shades?
    draw_shades yes
    
    # Draw outlines?
    draw_outline no
    
    # Draw borders around text
    draw_borders no
    
    # Draw borders around graphs
    draw_graph_borders yes
    
    # Stippled borders?
    stippled_borders 4
    
    # border margins
    border_margin 10
    
    # border width
    border_width 1
    
    # Default colors and also border colors
    default_color white
    default_shade_color black
    default_outline_color black
    
    # Text alignment, other possible values are commented
    #alignment top_left
    #alignment top_right
    alignment bottom_left
    #alignment bottom_right
    #alignment none
    
    # Gap between borders of screen and text
    # same thing as passing -x at command line
    gap_x 12
    gap_y 2
    
    # Subtract file system buffers from used memory?
    no_buffers yes
    
    # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
    uppercase no
    
    # number of cpu samples to average
    # set to 1 to disable averaging
    cpu_avg_samples 2
    
    # number of net samples to average
    # set to 1 to disable averaging
    net_avg_samples 2
    
    # Force UTF8? note that UTF8 support required XFT
    override_utf8_locale no
    
    # Add spaces to keep things from moving about?  This only affects certain objects.
    use_spacer no
    
    # Allow each port monitor to track at most this many connections (if 0 or not set, default is 256)
    #max_port_monitor_connections 256
    
    # Maximum number of special things, e.g. fonts, offsets, aligns, etc.
    #max_specials 512
    
    # Maximum size of buffer for user text, i.e. below TEXT line.
    #max_user_text 16384
    
    # variable is given either in format $variable or in ${variable}. Latter
    # allows characters right after the variable and must be used in network
    # stuff because of an argument
    
    # stuff after 'TEXT' will be formatted on screen
    
    TEXT
    ${font samanata}${offset 1647}
    ${font samanata:size=20}${time %b %d %y} ${alignr} ${time %l:%M %p}${font samanata:size=12}
    CPU @ ${freq_g}GHz | Load: $cpu% | Uptime: $uptime ${alignr} Wireless:  Down: ${downspeed ath0}k/s  ${totaldown ath0} | Up: ${upspeed ath0}k/s  ${totalup ath0}
    You will have to play around with the offset number depending on your resolution and exactly where you want to place it.

    You should note that the second method requires only one instance of conky running while the first method requires more than one. If you do not want to run multiple instances of conky, then use offset and play around with it. As for performance hits, you will probably not recognize the difference between conky not running at all, and conky running one instance, or conky running multiple instances.

    As for the first method, getting conky running using multiple scripts follow this procedure.

    1) First edit your .conkyrc file in /home/USERNAME/ to your taste.
    This is my .conkyrc file.
    Code:
    double_buffer yes
    update_interval 1
    background yes
    
    own_window yes
    own_window_transparent yes
    own_window_type override
    #own_window_type root
    own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
    
    use_xft yes
    override_utf8_locale no
    xftfont Telegraphem:size=9
    xftalpha 0.8
    draw_shades no
    draw_outline no
    draw_borders no
    uppercase no
    use_spacer no
    
    border_margin 0
    border_width 0
    
    default_color white
    default_outline_color black
    
    alignment bottom_left
    gap_x 5
    gap_y 5
    
    TEXT
    ${font Telegraphem:bold:size=20}${time %B %e}$font
    Core 1:  ${color #E68600}${cpu cpu1}%${color}
    Core 2:  ${color #E68600}${cpu cpu2}%
    2) Create your second file and name something like conky_time for example. I saved it in /home/USERNAME/scripts folder with other scripts that I have.
    This is my second conky file called conky_time:

    Code:
    double_buffer yes
    update_interval 1
    background yes
    
    own_window yes
    own_window_transparent yes
    own_window_type override
    #own_window_type root
    own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
    
    use_xft yes
    override_utf8_locale no
    xftfont Telegraphem:size=9
    xftalpha 0.8
    draw_shades no
    draw_outline no
    draw_borders no
    uppercase no
    use_spacer no
    
    border_margin 0
    border_width 0
    
    default_color white
    default_outline_color black
    
    alignment bottom_right
    gap_x 5
    gap_y 5
    
    TEXT
    ${font Telegraphem:bold:size=20}$alignr${time %I:%M %p}$font
    ${alignr}Uptime: ${color #E68600}${uptime}${color}
    Down: ${color #E68600}${downspeed eth0}${color}Kb/s|${alignr}Up: ${color #E68600}${upspeed eth0}${color}Kb/s
    3) Now you need to run these scripts with conky as "one operation". To achieve this use this little script and change it to suit your locations of the conky scripts. Save this script (dual_conky.sh) alongside your conky_time script:

    Code:
    #!/bin/bash
    
    sleep 9 &&
    conky -d -c /home/alex/.conkyrc &
    sleep 9 &&
    conky -d -c /home/alex/scripts/conky_time &
    exit
    The -d arguement daemonizes Conky, aka fork to background. The -c arguement uses a config file to load instead of $HOME/.conkyrc. Sleep 9 means it will wait 9 secs and then execute the rest of the script.

    Now you need to test out your scripts. In a terminal, cd to the directory containing your dual_conky.sh file and type:

    Code:
    sh dual_conky.sh
    See if conky starts up after 9 seconds and is displaying like you want it.

    Now we need to get conky to start up at boot. To do that, go to:
    System -> Preferences -> Sessions

    On the Startup Program Tab, click the New button on the right.

    Name: Conky
    Command*: sh [script location]

    *In my case: sh /home/alex/scripts/dual_conky.sh

    Now conky will start up when you boot. See the attached image for an example of my desktop.

    Go ahead and give it a test run. If you have any problems/questions/comments, please feel free to post them.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by AegisTalons; August 13th, 2007 at 10:49 PM.
    HOWTO: Lightscribe work from Menu (SCRIPT)
    Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of screen
    Specs:Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13 @ 3.2 GHz | Nvidia GeForce 7900 GT | 2 GBs Ram | 640 GB - HDD
    All watercooled and overclocked!!!

  2. #2
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    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    Thanks for this. I was stuck on one small point in the startup script and your example cleared it up for me. (I was using too many &s at the end of a row... doh!)
    what's a troll? | my blog | my writing | Ubuntu Unleashed

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  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    hey man nice work! i was trying to do something like this but didn't have a clue!

    btw, regarding the script.. is it necessary to keep the 9 seconds delay? could I set mine to like 1 or 2 ... ??

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon

    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    I believe the delay is mostly to make sure that conky shows up after the rest of the desktop environment so it actually shows up above the background but below any other windows. I would guess that a compromise int he delay would be a good choice (3-5 sec I would say).
    I'm not evil. I'm poorly intentioned.

    - Me

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    He probably has a larger delay if he is running compiz so that conky loads after compiz. If it does not, it gets a shadow around it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Talking Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    ok, well now i did it.. if anyone cares to see what i did...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
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    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    looks awesome. Glad to see the guide is helping. Regarding the delay, I'm running Compiz and I have conky turn on after some time to allow Compiz time to fully get started.
    HOWTO: Lightscribe work from Menu (SCRIPT)
    Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of screen
    Specs:Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13 @ 3.2 GHz | Nvidia GeForce 7900 GT | 2 GBs Ram | 640 GB - HDD
    All watercooled and overclocked!!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    Thanx for the How-To...now to see if I can do something creative with it
    What color do Smurfs turn when you choke em?
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  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    this howto was simple, yet great. thanks!

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr

    Re: Howto: Make Conky display information on different parts of your screen

    Ok.. gotta question.... I already have a conky that runs nice setup how i like, that is on all 5 virtual desktops under compiz... now i'd like to run a "second" conkyweather and times for each timezone for each of the weather area's i want, but only have it on 1 virtual desktop... how do i go about this.?

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