Putting icons on desktop/quicklaunch bar

[tlcmd]

Have been using "plain" Helena on my home computer for a few weeks now and am getting more comfortable with it. My son has an old Gateway laptop with 256 RAM and a 40 G hard drive. Mint 8 Helena would not install due to the low RAM of 256, but Mint 8 Helena Fluxbox installed fine, albeit slowly. It runs great, gets onto wireless fine, etc.

And yes, I searched.

Questions:
1) Is there a specific set of instructions for Fluxbox? If so, where?? That "disappearing menu can be frustrating.
2) How can I put commonly used program icons onto the desktop and/or Quick Launch Bar? (Firefox, open office, etc)
3) This old Gateway will not turn off, but reboots when "Quit", then "Shut Down" is clicked. Other than manually turning it off, any suggestions??

Thanks.
Dick

[Kendall]

1) Is there a specific set of instructions for Fluxbox? If so, where?? That "disappearing menu can be frustrating.

It's often frustrating at first, but once you get the swing of it most people quickly learn to appreciate it. You may want to look at the Fluxbox wiki, and at the Arch Linux wiki as there is some very good information on both of those websites.

2) How can I put commonly used program icons onto the desktop and/or Quick Launch Bar? (Firefox, open office, etc)

Look at a package called idesk. It enables you to have desktop icons in Fluxbox. There are instructions in the Fluxbox wiki. I really can't give you much more information here as I never use desktop icons (even in Gnome and KDE).

3) This old Gateway will not turn off, but reboots when "Quit", then "Shut Down" is clicked. Other than manually turning it off, any suggestions??

A lot of really old machines have significantly different power management configurations. I'm guessing that your machine would need APMD in order for this to work correctly but APMD is not supported in the 2.6.31 Linux kernel. You may want to see what happens if you boot with ACPI disabled, but be prepared to reinstall as this is potentially very risky.

[tlcmd]

Kendall,

Thank you very much.

I think we can work with that info. As for turning it off, the power button on the old Gateway laptop works just fine.

Dick

[Mazhar]

Look at a package called idesk. It enables you to have desktop icons in Fluxbox. There are instructions in the Fluxbox wiki. I really can't give you much more information here as I never use desktop icons (even in Gnome and KDE).

Thanks kendall. I was looking for such a package.
Actually I need 'menu' in the taskbar. Fluxbox's menu is only available by right clicking the desktop. Can I place 'menu' in the taskbar?

[rogue_ronin]

Try adding:

Code: Select all

OnToolbar Mouse3 :rootMenu

to your ~/.fluxbox/keys file. Reload config or restart fluxbox.

Right-click anywhere on the toolbar will show the menu.

[Mazhar]

Try adding:

Code: Select all

OnToolbar Mouse3 :rootMenu

to your ~/.fluxbox/keys file. Reload config or restart fluxbox.

Right-click anywhere on the toolbar will show the menu.

Thanks a lot. It works.

But unfortunately it over-works! If I right-click on any taskbar icon, root menu pops up, so how can I use these icons? For example, I right click on 'bluetooth icon' at the taskbar to reveal a 'menu' for internet-connection via bluetooth.
Now, if I right click on this icon, root menu pops up, not the bluetooth menu.

So, I deleted the code. (I thought, it will show root menu, only if I right click on 'empty space' at the taskbar).

[rogue_ronin]

Change it to Mouse2 and it will be middle-click instead of right click.

If you have more buttons on your mouse, you can pick one of those.

m a r

EDIT: you could also add a modifier button -- Mod1 Mouse3 would be the ALT button + right-click. Here is a recent page explaining. That page also suggests typing man fluxbox-keys in a terminal window.

[Mazhar]

Change it to Mouse2 and it will be middle-click instead of right click.

If you have more buttons on your mouse, you can pick one of those.

m a r

EDIT: you could also add a modifier button -- Mod1 Mouse3 would be the ALT button + right-click. Here is a recent page explaining. That page also suggests typing man fluxbox-keys in a terminal window.

Thanks a lot dear rogue_ronin.
Very nice help indeed. I changed it to middle click.

[SOLVED] & [SATISFIED]