HOWTO: desktop icons in fluxbox with idesk

[markfiend]

I've seen a few people asking about this, desktop icons using idesk. It's a lot of command-line foo, but pretty easy. I found this information dotted all over the place but thought it was worthwhile to consolidate in one place.

Let's say I want two desktop icons, one to launch firefox, the other to launch the Logout/Suspend/Reboot/Hibernate/Shutdown dialog.

First we need to install idesk:
Open up a terminal...

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install idesk

Next we need a configuration file for idesk:

Code: Select all

mousepad ~/.ideskrc

Paste in this text: (no need to worry too much about what it does for the moment, you can tweak the settings yourself if you like)

Code: Select all

table Config
  FontName: tahoma
  FontSize: 8
  FontColor: #ffffff
  Locked: false
  Transparency: 150
  HighContrast: true
  Shadow: true 
  ShadowColor: #000000
  ShadowX: 1
  ShadowY: 2
  Bold: false
  ClickDelay: 300
  IconSnap: true
  SnapWidth: 32 
  SnapHeight: 32
  SnapOrigin: BottomRight
  SnapShadow: true
  SnapShadowTrans: 200
  CaptionOnHover: false
end
table Actions
  Lock: control right doubleClk
  Reload: middle doubleClk
  Drag: left hold
  EndDrag: left singleClk
  Execute[0]: left doubleClk
  Execute[1]: right doubleClk
end

Save and close mousepad.

Now we need a directory to store the actual icons:

Code: Select all

mkdir ~/.idesktop

Our first icon will be to launch firefox:

Code: Select all

mousepad ~/.idesktop/firefox.lnk

Copy and paste the following: (again, you can tweak the settings if you like)

Code: Select all

table Icon
  Caption: Mozilla Firefox
  Command: firefox
  Icon: /usr/share/pixmaps/firefox-3.5.png
  Width: 32
  Height: 32
  X: 32
  Y: 32
end

Save and close mousepad.

Our next icon launches the "ciao" script (which brings up the Logout/Suspend/Reboot/Hibernate/Shutdown dialog):

Code: Select all

mousepad ~/.idesktop/quit.lnk

Copy and paste the following: (and again, tweak away if you like)

Code: Select all

table Icon
  Caption: Quit Fluxbox
  Command: ciao
  Icon: /usr/share/icons/Minty/scalable/actions/application-exit.png
  Width: 32
  Height: 32
  X: 32
  Y: 96
end

Save and close mousepad.

We need idesk to start whenever we start up:

Code: Select all

mousepad ~/.fluxbox/startup

Somewhere after this section:

Code: Select all

#-----------------------------------------------------------------
#  ADD APPLICATIONS YOU WISH TO LAUNCH AT LOGIN IN THIS SECTION
#   MAKE SURE TO ADD THE "&" SYMBOL TO THE END OF EACH COMMAND
#-----------------------------------------------------------------

Paste the line

Code: Select all

idesk &

Save and close mousepad.

Reboot and you will have the two icons on your desktop.

[shane]

Don't you have to add 'idesk &' to the Fluxbox startup file (~/.fluxbox/startup)?

[markfiend]

Don't you have to add 'idesk &' to the Fluxbox startup file (~/.fluxbox/startup)?

Damn. Yes. Missed that bit. Going back to edit Original Post now...

Done. Thanks.

[wassm.]

Works perfect - thanks for this how to.

P.S. Do you know how to make folder icons (to Home or downloads)?

[markfiend]

Do you know how to make folder icons (to Home or downloads)?

Code: Select all

table Icon
  Caption: Home
  Command: thunar ~/
  Icon: /usr/share/icons/Minty/scalable/places/folder-home.png
  Width: 32
  Height: 32
  X: 32
  Y: 160
end

(save as ~/.idesktop/home.lnk)

Corrected.

[wassm.]

Thanks-i figured it myself in the meantime-this is my .lnk:

Code: Select all

table Icon
  Caption: Home
  Command: thunar /home/mini/
  Icon: /usr/share/icons/Minty/scalable/places/_folder-home.png
  Width: 40
  Height: 40
  X: 96
  Y: 56
end

Not so hard once you have scheme...

[markfiend]

I missed out the / before the path to the icon

[xazax]

A small aplication would be awesome, which would help users to make the icons.

It could have a settins part, when ppl can do basic configuration such as icon size etc, and an add icons part, where icons could be added based of .desktop files.

One more feature is: setting icon's place. For example user can set he/she needs 5*7 Icon place on his/her desktop. Icons could have numbers, so the Icon numbered 1st is on the first place of first row, icon numbered 8 is on the first place of second row etc.

It wouldn't be to hard to write but unfortunately I haven't the neccessary python skills, and for writing it in c... I'm too busy/lazy for that.

[galher]

a screenshot with the result would be nice

[rogue_ronin]

Anyone here clever enough to adapt this tutorial to idesk instead of rox?

It would probably mean turning off Thunar's volume management.

m a r

[OU812]

Not exactly, but this may be a good place to start:

http://antix.freeforums.org/use-idesk-f ... -t900.html
john

[markfiend]

I've stopped using idesk.