I cannot, for the love of me, figure out how to install wbar
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue 06 Oct 2009, 03:06
I cannot, for the love of me, figure out how to install wbar
Somehow I managed to get Firefox 3.5.3 & Java installed with relative ease, but I can't figure out wbar. First off, all the threads on installing it might as well be written in Russian because I can't understand what the hell any of them are talking about. Secondly, I can't find where to even download it!
Can someone either give me a non-dead link to a PET file for installing wbar, or just a tar file along with installation instructions? Thanks a bunch.
Can someone either give me a non-dead link to a PET file for installing wbar, or just a tar file along with installation instructions? Thanks a bunch.
Hello ObviousCat
Welcome to the kennels.
Download BOTH of these .pets:
imlib2-1.4.0.pet
patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet
Then install them simply by single clicking on them (Left mouse button),
install imlib2-1.4.0.pet first, then patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet
When installing the second .pet, a browser window will open Wbar Instructions & Tips,
you will need to close this window to allow the install to continue.
You can open that window again at any time by navigating to: /usr/doc/wbar/Wbar_Install_Readme.html,
there are a couple of other files to read in the same directory.
When the install of both .pets is complete, you will need to edit this file: /root/.xinitrc
please note that this is a hidden file so you need to click on the "Eye" icon in ROX-Filer.
Right click on /root/.xinitrc and select: Open As Text,
now scroll to the bottom of the file and find the part that looks something like this:
You now need to add your wbar "Launch Command" Immediately above where it say's: #exec $CURRENTWM
Exactly what command you enter here will depend how you want to run your wbar,
i will give you an example for you to start with, just change things to suit your own needs. (refer to the files in /usr/doc/wbar)
Note that this is for running the wbar at the BOTTOM of the screen, if you want it at the top,
change -pos bottom to -pos top
The -offset 30 is the distance (in pixels)
that the wbar will be offset from either the top or bottom of the screen.
You may also need to increase the sleep period from 3 seconds,
that is more trial & error until you find what works.
So now the bottom of your /root/.xinitrc file
will look like this:
The reason we put this "Launch Command" in this file, is so that wbar gets launched automatically at each bootup.
The actual wbar configuration file is at: /root/.wbar (another hidden file),
again right click and select: Open As Text
At the top you will see this block
you can ignore that, as i left it there to quickly change font.
It is the rest of the file down that is important.
This first block:
is where you set the wbar background image
and font & font size.
I included 3 fonts in this directory: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons
Starcraft Normal.ttf
Creampuff.ttf
VeraBd.ttf
But you can use whatever font you desire.
That directory also contains the icons, but you can use any icons you like.
All of the other blocks below that one are for each launcher on the wbar,
they all have the same configuration
i: = the path to the icon to be used.
c: = the command to run, or path to executable file.
t: = the text that is displayed beneath the icon
you need to restart the X server (from the Shutdown section in the Menu)
Please note:
Any changes that you make to the configuration file,
will require you to restart the X server in order to see those changes.
CatDude
.
Welcome to the kennels.
It isn't that difficult really.ObviousCat wrote:...First off, all the threads on installing it might as well be written in Russian because I can't understand what the hell any of them are talking about. Secondly, I can't find where to even download it!
Download BOTH of these .pets:
imlib2-1.4.0.pet
patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet
Then install them simply by single clicking on them (Left mouse button),
install imlib2-1.4.0.pet first, then patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet
When installing the second .pet, a browser window will open Wbar Instructions & Tips,
you will need to close this window to allow the install to continue.
You can open that window again at any time by navigating to: /usr/doc/wbar/Wbar_Install_Readme.html,
there are a couple of other files to read in the same directory.
When the install of both .pets is complete, you will need to edit this file: /root/.xinitrc
please note that this is a hidden file so you need to click on the "Eye" icon in ROX-Filer.
Right click on /root/.xinitrc and select: Open As Text,
now scroll to the bottom of the file and find the part that looks something like this:
Code: Select all
#exec $CURRENTWM
#v2.11 GuestToo suggested this improvement...
which $CURRENTWM && exec $CURRENTWM
[ -x $CURRENTWM ] && exec $CURRENTWM
exec jwm
###END###
Exactly what command you enter here will depend how you want to run your wbar,
i will give you an example for you to start with, just change things to suit your own needs. (refer to the files in /usr/doc/wbar)
Code: Select all
# Start wbar application launcher
sleep 3 && wbar -above-desk -jumpf 1 -pos bottom -offset 30 -nanim 3 -zoomf 1.8 -idist 10 -isize 38 -bpress -balfa 0 -falfa 100 &
change -pos bottom to -pos top
The -offset 30 is the distance (in pixels)
that the wbar will be offset from either the top or bottom of the screen.
You may also need to increase the sleep period from 3 seconds,
that is more trial & error until you find what works.
So now the bottom of your /root/.xinitrc file
will look like this:
Code: Select all
# Start wbar application launcher
sleep 3 && wbar -above-desk -jumpf 1 -pos bottom -offset 30 -nanim 3 -zoomf 1.8 -idist 10 -isize 38 -bpress -balfa 0 -falfa 100 &
#exec $CURRENTWM
#v2.11 GuestToo suggested this improvement...
which $CURRENTWM && exec $CURRENTWM
[ -x $CURRENTWM ] && exec $CURRENTWM
exec jwm
###END###
The actual wbar configuration file is at: /root/.wbar (another hidden file),
again right click and select: Open As Text
At the top you will see this block
Code: Select all
#i: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/osxbarback.png
#c:
#t: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/Starcraft Normal.ttf/12
It is the rest of the file down that is important.
This first block:
Code: Select all
i: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/osxbarback.png
c:
t: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/Creampuff.ttf/16
and font & font size.
I included 3 fonts in this directory: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons
Starcraft Normal.ttf
Creampuff.ttf
VeraBd.ttf
But you can use whatever font you desire.
That directory also contains the icons, but you can use any icons you like.
All of the other blocks below that one are for each launcher on the wbar,
they all have the same configuration
Code: Select all
i:/usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/kennel.png
c:/usr/local/bin/rox
t:Home
c: = the command to run, or path to executable file.
t: = the text that is displayed beneath the icon
- EDIT 1:
If you happen to be running wine,
you can launch windows apps with something like the following:The important part is to surround the path to the .exe file with double quotes.Code: Select all
i: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons/good/photogenetics.png c: wine "/root/Wine/drive_c/Program Files/PhotoGenetics/PhotoGenetics.exe" t: PhotGen
you need to restart the X server (from the Shutdown section in the Menu)
Please note:
Any changes that you make to the configuration file,
will require you to restart the X server in order to see those changes.
- EDIT 2:
If you are using JWM (default in Puppy) then the wbar may open in a window (see attached image)
you will notice this window in the taskbar.
That is not the behaviour that you want, so to stop it doing this you need to edit the /etc/xdg/templates/_root_.jwmrc file. (Thanks to Kal for the reminder)
Right click on that file and select: Open As Text
Scroll down a bit, and you will see this lot (or something very similar)
Copy and Paste this:Code: Select all
<Group> <Class>Gaim</Class> <Option>sticky</Option> </Group> <Group> <Class>xmms</Class> <Option>icon:xmms.xpm</Option> </Group> <Group> <Class>absvolume</Class> <Name>absvolume</Name> <Option>nolist</Option> </Group> <Group> <Name>xmessage</Name> <!-- <Option>icon:info16.xpm</Option> --> <Option>notitle</Option> <Option>nolist</Option> </Group>
after the last one in the block shown above.Code: Select all
<Group> <Class>wbar</Class> <Name>wbar</Name> <Option>nolist</Option> </Group>
Save your changes then open a Console/Terminal
and enter the following command:Some of the newer Puppies have a Menu entry for fixmenusCode: Select all
fixmenus
if yours does, just use that instead of the above command.
Now Restart X server, from the Menu: Shutdown > Restart X server
wbar should now start without being in a window.
CatDude
.
- Attachments
-
- wbar-on-430.png
- (56.66 KiB) Downloaded 791 times
Last edited by CatDude on Sun 18 Oct 2009, 10:54, edited 4 times in total.
[img]http://www.smokey01.com/CatDude/.temp/sigs/acer-futile.gif[/img]
- Lobster
- Official Crustacean
- Posts: 15522
- Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 06:06
- Location: Paradox Realm
- Contact:
After finishing blubbering, started adding post to this wiki page
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/WbarInstall
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/WbarInstall
- sprangalang
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed 09 Sep 2009, 18:40
Thanks for this great post, CatDude.
It made it so much easier, but I'm still struggling.
I have done everything as noted, I am running Puppy 4.30 frugal, on a Pentium2 machine with 512ram, 5G HD.
I have a strange problem. When I edit .xinitrc to invoke wbar, the desktop comes up looking ok, but the mouse pointer remains an 'x', new windows come up without the top menu bar; cannot be moved, and no desktop menus appear.
I am able to edit out the 2 wbar lines in .xinitrc, and everything is ok again.
It is possible to run wbar in rxvt, but when wbar is called in .xinitrc, it seems that it breaks the JWM windows.
Any ideas?
Thank you
It made it so much easier, but I'm still struggling.
I have done everything as noted, I am running Puppy 4.30 frugal, on a Pentium2 machine with 512ram, 5G HD.
I have a strange problem. When I edit .xinitrc to invoke wbar, the desktop comes up looking ok, but the mouse pointer remains an 'x', new windows come up without the top menu bar; cannot be moved, and no desktop menus appear.
I am able to edit out the 2 wbar lines in .xinitrc, and everything is ok again.
It is possible to run wbar in rxvt, but when wbar is called in .xinitrc, it seems that it breaks the JWM windows.
Any ideas?
Thank you
Hello sprangalang
I can't say that i have ever experienced such myself,
have you tried increasing the sleep time from 3 seconds ? maybe that might help.
You may need to experiment with different sleep times until it works correctly.
CatDude
.
P.S
Please note that i have added another EDIT to my main post above.
That is indeed strange.sprangalang wrote: I have a strange problem. When I edit .xinitrc to invoke wbar, the desktop comes up looking ok, but the mouse pointer remains an 'x', new windows come up without the top menu bar; cannot be moved, and no desktop menus appear.
I can't say that i have ever experienced such myself,
have you tried increasing the sleep time from 3 seconds ? maybe that might help.
You may need to experiment with different sleep times until it works correctly.
CatDude
.
P.S
Please note that i have added another EDIT to my main post above.
[img]http://www.smokey01.com/CatDude/.temp/sigs/acer-futile.gif[/img]
- sprangalang
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed 09 Sep 2009, 18:40
Hi CatDude,
Yes, I tried changing sleep, it had the same result. But, I found out it is possible to invoke the wbar by putting the same call in the startup folder, as a script. Wahoo, I figured out how to do that all by myself! The only disadvantage to that, that I can see, is that it has an entry in the bar, but I have that auto-hid anyway.
Thanks for you help, I am loving wbar, and have been playing with it. I wanted to keep a basic pup 4.30, because it runs so nice on this old lappy. This makes me happy!
Cheers!
Yes, I tried changing sleep, it had the same result. But, I found out it is possible to invoke the wbar by putting the same call in the startup folder, as a script. Wahoo, I figured out how to do that all by myself! The only disadvantage to that, that I can see, is that it has an entry in the bar, but I have that auto-hid anyway.
Thanks for you help, I am loving wbar, and have been playing with it. I wanted to keep a basic pup 4.30, because it runs so nice on this old lappy. This makes me happy!
Cheers!
Hello sprangalang
CatDude
.
See EDIT 2 in my first post above (i am assuming that you are using JWM)sprangalang wrote: The only disadvantage to that, that I can see, is that it has an entry in the bar, but I have that auto-hid anyway.
CatDude
.
[img]http://www.smokey01.com/CatDude/.temp/sigs/acer-futile.gif[/img]
Hello Kal
anyways, i have edited the above post to reflect that IMPORTANT notice
Thanks again.
CatDude
.
Thanks, i forgot about thatKal wrote:CatDude
This is just as a reminder:
IMPORTANT, ONLY EDIT /etc/xdg/templates/_root_.jwmrc
If you have XDG running, anything you edit in /root/.jwmrc will be lost when fixmenus runs, in the newer Puppies.
anyways, i have edited the above post to reflect that IMPORTANT notice
Thanks again.
CatDude
.
[img]http://www.smokey01.com/CatDude/.temp/sigs/acer-futile.gif[/img]
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue 06 Oct 2009, 03:06