Adding links to the desktop

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: Adding links to the desktop
started by: evanescent

Posted by evanescent on July 28 2004,12:07

I don't know if its a DSL or Fluxbox thing, but a right click option to add icons to the desktop would be nice.

Posted by mikshaw on July 28 2004,12:39

Fluxbox doesn't use icons itself, but there is that option in DSL: "enhanced desktop" I believe it's called.

Posted by clivesay on July 28 2004,13:00

If you already know this, sorry to repeat......

To add/change icons, open emelfm and click on the "H" in the upper left hand corner to show hidden files.

In your /home/dsl directory you will see a folder called .xtdesktop. When you open you will see your icons.

The .png/.gif files will be the icon image. The associated .ink file will contain the information that activates the icon. Bring up this file in your favorite editor and see how to create/change icons. It is very self explanatory. The "X" and "Y" entries determine the desktop location of your icon (in pixels i believe).

HTH

Chris

Posted by evanescent on July 28 2004,13:09

I know how to get the icons in view and configure it to startup that way. I'm looking for a way to add more and delete some. I want to set up the desktop so my dad can just double click icons and go to Gaim or a preset URL.

Posted by evanescent on July 28 2004,13:22

Thanks clivesay.

I still think a right click option would be less complicated. I was throwing an idea out there.

Posted by clivesay on July 28 2004,14:20

Sure. A click option would be great but this is pretty simple. One of the necessary evils of a fast window manager.

BTW - I forgot to mention if you add/change icon info you need to restart the WM to see the changes. It is a menu option in DSL.

Take care

Chris

Posted by cbagger01 on July 28 2004,16:50

The icon display program that is used by DSL is called xtdesktop.

If you have a suggestion for an improvement, you could ask the author to try and add your new feature. Try here:

< http://garuda.newmail.ru/xtdesk_e.dhtml >

Good Luck.

Posted by Delboy on Aug. 03 2004,10:07

Is there any reason why the 'FBDESK' fluxbox plugin that exists already for creating icons from the menu cannot be added to new DSL versions. I would install the plugin manually if I knew how and if I knew it would work. Simple icon addition / creation would seem a logical complement to Synaptic / apt-get software install option which unfortunately does not produce a desktop icon. (I have posted a request for a FBDESK.dsl elswwhere). In the meantime thanks to all for the brilliant development on this OS. My ancient laptop is better to use than ever.

Posted by cbagger01 on Aug. 07 2004,22:03

As far as I can tell, fbdesk is part of a different icon program than the xtdesktop program that comes with DSL.

I suppose it is possible to replace the xtdesktop with fbdesk in the DSL distrubution but several hurdles would need to be overcome. (1) Someone would need to decide that it was worth doing and commit to doing it. (2) The new program would need to be roughly the same size or smaller than the xtdesktop program size. (3) Someone would have to convert ALL *.dsl and *.tar.gz extensions that create an old xtdesktop icon so that they work with fbdesk.

Posted by Alisdair Kelly on Aug. 09 2004,13:35

I was looking at fbdesk over the weekend. It also requires the full X enviroment in order to complile for DSL. It would be 'handy' if it did work easily, but I'm not sure that it's worth the effort of installing the full Xfree86 (sp?) for it.