From GNOME to XFCE -- Help & Tips

[mintnoob]

I just converted to Xfce from GNOME and thought it would be good to start a thread for recent Xfce converts like me who have questions about Xfce and who could also benefit from tips to make our transition smoother.

Few questions off the bat:

1. Login; is there a way to set your username to automatically show up in the login box?
2. Clock; it doesn't seem to save changes after reboot.
3. Drag-n-dropping files into Thunar; is there a way to disable the copy mode? I know you can do it manually each time by pressing the shift key while dragging the file.
4. Add to panel; is there a way to add the Synaptic to the panel?
5. Volume; is there a display when you increase/decrease your volume?
6. Startup Apps; is there a way to make apps (such as Tomboy Notes) startup after login? I know I can add its icon to panel, but then another of its icons will popup on the panel when I start that particular app.
7. Menu add; can you add your favorite apps near the top of the Menu (between Run Program and Settings)?
8. Menu change; can you change to MintMenu, or similar GNOME-style menu?


Any tips you can offer to perhaps speed things up on Xfce, or recommend to install that might benefit x-GNOME users, or that are "must haves" for Xfce?

I did figure out you need to install FFmpegthumbnailer to get video thumbnails to show in the Thunar browser.

Thanks!

[mintnoob]

Adding third-party software doesn't seem to work for me.

When I add a source to the 'APT line', the 'Add Source' button doesn't highlight to click.

[rekik]

Hi mintnoob
Do you use Mint XFCE CE or xfce installed on top of Mint Main ?

1-Login and 6-start-up apps : you can configure both in XFCE MintConfig (above terminal in Menu)


4. To add a synaptic launcher to panel : right-click on panel, add an item, double click on launcher (on top) an and add this command gksudo synaptic (and choose a name and an icon for the launcher)

5. Volume : there is a panel applet for that

8. Menu change : you can use MintMenu with XfApplet (to install it :

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install xfce4-xfapplet-plugin

)

[mintnoob]

Hi mintnoob
Do you use Mint XFCE CE or xfce installed on top of Mint Main ?

Hi, rekik. Thanks for your help. I have CE.

[Aevum]

Hi mintnoob
Do you use Mint XFCE CE or xfce installed on top of Mint Main ?

Is there a fast/simple way I can install Xfce over the main gnome version?

[vrkalak]

Open the Synaptic Manager > type 'Xfce' in the searchbar > install the Xfce4 Meta Package. Then re-boot your computer.

At the Log-in screen, at the bottom > under the 'Sessions' tab > select 'Xfce' .. Enter.

This will not change anything in your Gnome desktop, and all files/documents and bookmarks will show up in Xfce.

[Aevum]

Oh, simple like this! Nice!

And once again, thank you!

[mintnoob]

1-Login and 6-start-up apps : you can configure both in XFCE MintConfig (above terminal in Menu)

4. To add a synaptic launcher to panel : right-click on panel, add an item, double click on launcher (on top) an and add this command gksudo synaptic (and choose a name and an icon for the launcher)

5. Volume : there is a panel applet for that

1. I don't understand these instructions

4. Worked, thanks!

5. I don't want an icon added to the panel (one already is in the far right corner), but wonder if there is a display screen that can appear when changing the volume, just like when you change the brightness of your screen.

[mintnoob]

2. Clock; it doesn't seem to save changes after reboot.

Can anyone help with this one?

I got Xfce up and running with most of my key apps and everything is going "minty" so far.

Just the clock the keeps changing format after rebooting because is won't save is getting really annoying.

[vrkalak]

Right click on the Xfce panel, select 'add new items' . . . go down the list and select 'add' Orage Clock

Orage is a much better clock/time/date/calendar Application ... easier to work with and more customizable.
Orage clock was designed to work in the Xfce panel

Then . . . click to 'remove' the default date/time clock from the panel.

[mintnoob]

go down the list and select 'add' Orage Clock

I had just found Orage before you posted this. Great clock app. Solved my problem!

[mintnoob]

1. Login; is there a way to set your username to automatically show up in the login box?
3. Drag-n-dropping files into Thunar; is there a way to disable the copy mode? I know you can do it manually each time by pressing the shift key while dragging the file.
5. Volume; is there a display when you increase/decrease your volume?
7. Menu add; can you add your favorite apps near the top of the Menu (between Run Program and Settings)?

Xfce is working great for me, but I'm still interested in the above questions.

[vrkalak]

mintnoob:

Some of these, still unanswered questions, are or could be better answered in the Xfce Forums or at the Xfce Wiki.

Main Xfce site >> http://xfce.org
Xfce Forums >> http://forum.xfce.org/
Xfce Wiki pages >> http://wiki.xfce.org/

The Xfce Forums and Devs are more knowledgeable about Xfce and what you can and can't do with 'their' desktop.
I have found them to be helpful and friendly. They have helped me immensely.

[mintnoob]

Thanks for the advice vrkalak!

[Ingenuitas]

Open the Synaptic Manager > type 'Xfce' in the searchbar > install the Xfce4 Meta Package. Then re-boot your computer.

At the Log-in screen, at the bottom > under the 'Sessions' tab > select 'Xfce' .. Enter.

This will not change anything in your Gnome desktop, and all files/documents and bookmarks will show up in Xfce.

I did the first instruction but the second instruction didn't work for me because I don't get a log-in screen, my computer automatically boots to gnome. I imagine I set it up this way at installation so what do I change to get that log-in screen?

Thanks much!

[RichardH]

Just in case you haven't come across this:
Look in control panel > System > Login Window (or Entry Window) [mine is in Spanish]

In the Security tab, I think, there is something checked that allows automatically logging in.

regards,
Richard.

[MALsPa]

7. Menu add; can you add your favorite apps near the top of the Menu (between Run Program and Settings)?

Is there a Menu Editor in the Xfce CE version? I am using Xfce 4.4 in Mepis and there's a Menu Editor under Settings. But a friend of mine is using Xfce 4.6 in Debian Squeeze and says there's no Menu Editor there. Sounds like Mint Xfce CE might be using Xfce 4.6, maybe?

[RichardH]

@MALsPa,
That is essentially correct. No easy menu editor in 4.6 that I have found.
They say one is coming in Xrfce4.8 so we can wait and hope.

There is a way to change the menu but it is a bit of a challenge.
Here is some help? or a least a bit of guidance until then:
http://forum.xfce.org/index.php?topic=4395.0

more info here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1136881

regards,
Richard.

[tomast]

vrkalak,

Thanks for the tip about installing XFCE -w- Gnome
"install the Xfce4 Meta Package"

I have been running XFCE in a virtualbox and I've really started to like it a lot.
It runs awsome fast running directly from the hard drive.
I'm almost ready to switch from Gnome (Gloria Main) to XFCE but I'm still waiting for the new version.
It's nice to have the choice to run either one now

I still prefer Gloria over Helena Gnome but I am hopeful about the new XFCE.

Tom

[MALsPa]

@MALsPa,
That is essentially correct. No easy menu editor in 4.6 that I have found.
They say one is coming in Xrfce4.8 so we can wait and hope.

There is a way to change the menu but it is a bit of a challenge.
Here is some help? or a least a bit of guidance until then:
http://forum.xfce.org/index.php?topic=4395.0

more info here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1136881

regards,
Richard.

Yeah, looks like some work. Fortunately for me I'm using an older Xfce version, 4.4, which does have a handy menu editor. Also, looks like in Xfce 4.4 it's really a lot easier to edit the menu manually, without the menu editor, compared to Xfce 4.6. Here, the file ~/.config/xfce4/desktop/menu.xml is really no big deal to edit with a text editor. Wonder why they changed things and made it so much more complicated.

As to this:

Any tips you can offer to perhaps speed things up on Xfce, or recommend to install that might benefit x-GNOME users, or that are "must haves" for Xfce?

I would say, from what my friend and I are seeing, be aware that Xfce documentation sometimes lags behind the current version, but you can still get help at the Xfce forums and in other places.