Puppy 4.2 - Desktop and Artwork

[dogone]

The Background has been upgraded

One difficulty with your 31 Oct background is that it assumes all widgets fit behind the right accent and all device icons fit below the bottom accent. Adding and/or rearranging widgets or systems with many partitions could violate these implied boundaries..

A good background works with all desktop arrangements. This one may not.

[dinky]

Any fix found for Rox hiding the clock widget? I'm having the same trouble with Rox, Compiz-Fusion, and Cairo Dock... Rox wants to hide widgets by default.... why? Is there some way to ask Rox to stay on the bottom layer of things? Or ask the widgets to stay on the top?
~dinky

[ttuuxxx]

The Background has been upgraded

I understand the idea involved, but the new one doesn't excite me the way the original does. Sorry. An alternative might be to remove the bottom arc and just leave the near vertical arc near the widgets.

I like the original one better or the second one minus the vertical arc near the widgets
ttuuxxx

The widgets look great on the brushed background, too. They stand out and blend in at the same time. The impression is that they are a part of the OS and not an afterthought. That too is important in Puppy.

I agree 100% as long as its low in resources
ttuuxxx

Lastly Zigbert your doing excellent work once again, And I always figured you as a coder Boy I was wrong, great professional looking bling.
ttuuxxx

[Eyes-Only]

Hi Zigbert!

Absolutely gorgeous desktop! You've made the looks of the JWM window manager so very attractive here that even for someone like me, who switches immediately to either Fluxbox or Openbox/LXpanel, want to stick around and use what you've created here instead!

My hat goes off to you Zigbert. You're a fine artist par excellence!

Now about your "clock problem"---and more than likely this won't help you in the least or I would've imagined WhoDo would've thought of it long before me. But it concerns Wbar: In order to get that programme to display above the ROX desktop (and I've discovered recently other desktop creating programmes as well by the way) you need to set up both a "sleep timer" in the startup command, as well as a command to "appear above the desktop layer".

Here's the code like this:

Code: Select all

sleep 3 ; wbar -above-desk

It's the "-above-desk" which gets it to form over the ROX layer. If it's not coming up transparent then you need to widen the sleep parameter. On some I have to have it a full 10 seconds!

I'm wondering if it's the same way with the gtk-clock widget? Hopefully it's something as simple as that. I'm hoping anyway because I happen to like the desktop clock and run it in Mini-Sys when using that. So I'd definitely use it in 4.2.

Once again Zigbert: A truly gorgeous desktop! You've put us right into the major leagues now! 4.2 will turn out to be the Puppy to define ALL Puppies! Wow...

Amicalement/Cheers!

Eyes-Only
"L'Peau-Rouge"

[zigbert]

Eyes-Only
Thanks for feedback.
I have tried different options, but couldn't get the grip of it.
Let's hope for a bright puppian when we release the first test release.

Sigmund

[zigbert]

Ok, next stage.

I want to minimize the number of icons of the desktop.
Then we of course need a simpler way to add icons than today.
I have made an approach.

1. The fixmenus-script now also generates links of all menu-apps in /root/my-applications/bin/
2. The file /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-filer/globicons are updated to match all menu-apps in /root/my-applications/bin/
3. The script icon2desk (in menu) opens rox in /root/my-applications/bin/ and shows a message.



During this work I had to define icons for all programs in the menu. The 'big' programs like abiword and gxine has its own icon definition. The P programs does NOT have individual icons, and all config guis has the same icon definition. I guess the list also should include often installed programs like firefox, gimp, blender, skype, qcad, scribus ... The list is rather long, but with huge use of symlinks, I only had to add around 5 new icons to the original theme. For artsy types (like Nathan ), it's now possible to make icon-sets that allows a wider range of icons. It could be that the list should be even more detailed. Here's the list for now:

abiword48.png
address48.png
archive48.png
audio48.png
ayttm48.png
backup48.png
burn48.png
calc48.png
camera48.png
card48.png
card_mntd48.png
card_mntd_boot48.png
chat48.png
clipboard48.png
clock48.png
configuration48.png
conky48.png
connect48.png
console48.png
date48.png
draw48.png
drive48.png
drive_mntd48.png
drive_mntd_boot48.png
edit48.png
email48.png
finance48.png
floppy48.png
floppy_mntd48.png
floppy_mntd_boot48.png
folder48.png
fotoxx48.png
game48.png
geany48.png
gftp48.png
gimp48.png
gnumeric48.png
go48.png
gparted48.png
gpicview48.png
gqview48.png
grub48.png
gxine48.png
hardinfo48.png
help48.png
home48.png
imageviewer48.png
inkscape48.png
isomaster48.png
leafpad48.png
lock48.png
lock-screen48.png
mhwaveedit48.png
mixer48.png
mozaddressbook48.png
mozedit48.png
mozmail48.png
mtpaint48.png
multimedia48.png
network48.png
note48.png
notecase48.png
optical48.png
optical_mntd48.png
optical_mntd_boot48.png
osmo48.png
paint48.png
pdf48.png
pet48.png
printer48.png
process48.png
pupnews48.png
puppy-bone48.gif
rename48.png
rsync48.png
save48.png
scanner48.png
seamonkey48.png
search48.png
spread48.png
system48.png
text48.png
transmission48.png
trashcan_empty48.png
trashcan_full48.png
usbdrv48.png
usbdrv_mntd48.png
usbdrv_mntd_boot48.png
users48.png
view48.png
virus48.png
webedit48.png
word48.png
www48.png

[dinky]

I don't think wbar's -above-desktop will apply to this. Yes, it will make wbar work, but this is necessary for most window managers, and isn't ro specific.... you need this for gnome, kde, etc. I think the problem with rox is different. Please see this thread... I think wow is on to something; it may be an issue with Rox itself.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 8&start=45

A word abut the next version of puppy; it's very exciting to be creating it, and taking things in a new direction, particularly configuring the gui. I agree it needs to be very simple and easy to use, much easier than it has been to date. There are other probllems however that need to be fixed, and in my view this is by far more important than the gui. It's looking great, but speding too much time making things look pretty, and ignoring wider functionality issues, is a mistake. Is there as much effort being put into fixing other issues?
~dinky

[Lobster]

Is there as much effort being put into fixing other issues?
~dinky

More.

The first 'alpha release' or pre release of 4.2 is the bug fixed 4..1.1 - which has just been released
http://puppylinux.com/download/release-4.1.1.htm

Warren has been skimming the forums and preparing for 4.2
http://www.puppylinux.org/wiki/applicat ... -todo-list
- that page could be improved

So in effect 4.2 development starts today as a community effort.

Already we have:
Barrys solid base
Head of development/coordination = WhoDo
Direction and goal (simple organic improvement for 4.2)
Look and feel being developed (see this thread)
Graphics and wiki pages
Forum Thread preliminary 'virtual meeting'
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 081#238081

etc

[BuddhaDog]

I just happened to be passing by here and thought I would add my two cents. I really like the orange, gold, and brushed steel look. I think it would have the most appeal across the board. It is very classy without being flashy. It is very much in keeping with the nice clean look of Puppy. I personally don't care for the GLARING red. So there it is. I'll survive either way.

http://wolvrik-howlatthemoon.blogspot.com/

[WhoDo]

Now it's only the xonclock-issue left. I repeat my earlier cry for help:
When starting xonclock (the analog clock), I have to mouseclick on the desktop to see the clock.
(in other words: I have to click clock ) Have I missed something, or are there any way to refresh desktop with a command?

Something dinky said above sparked a dim dark memory of the problems I had in 2.15CE with the Rox root window which governs the background "position" - ie in front or behind or whatever. There was a simple fix given to me back then by the venerable GuestToo, and it consists of putting this line in the /root/.xinitrc file AFTER you load your widgets but BEFORE the $CURRENTWM is called

Code: Select all

qiv -z /root/Choices/ROX-background.jpg

That has the affect of forcing a refresh of the background, even if that's not actually what happens "technically"; IOW, the same affect as clicking on the widget to bring it to the front. It's worth a try, zigbert.

Hope that helps.

[Eyes-Only]

Exactly Warren, that's yet another way as well besides the way I'd mentioned with the Wbar parameter as I just finished writing a similar hack for VectorLinux 5.9 Light's JWM, only using "fbsetbg -f <image $path>" rather than the new 2.0 Qiv---reason being the new Qiv, to me anyway, seems to have had a tonne of changes done to it so it's no longer working the same way.

But at any rate, regardless of whichever you use, be it "fbsetbg -f" or "qiv -z", it has to go to the nearest to the top as possible in ".xinitrc" as your Puppypin is called up afterwards (and there's the ticket---in VL I had to set it on a timer switch in my hack) just before the WM is called up.

Hope that helped.

jimmi/Eyes-Only
"L'Peau-Rouge"

[dinky]

Great news about 4.2! I'm looking forward to those fixes...lol... as well as this new skin being developed. Fixed my problem with the cairo-dock widgets I'm using on the compiz-fusion widget layer. Had to do with Rox's configuration. Under Rox's options was a compatability section at the very bottom. "Overide window manager control of the pinboard and panels" and Pass all backdrop mouse clicks to the window manager" had to be unticked. WOrking beautifully now. But then again, that's with Compiz-fusion as the window manager only nothing else.

Since tombh's stepped back from puppy I've taken over 'Project Ripple', which was his original vision. Basically it features pure compiz-fusion window management, with nothing else. No kde, no gnome, no xfce, only compz-fusion, rox, and cario-dock. I've got a test model running on the eeepc, and wil make a release shortly. Why I'm mentioning this here is that with using rox it's not a whle lot different than the standard puppy... just imagine a fully hideable dockbar instead of the puppy panel, icons on the dockbar, widgets hidden on the compiz-layer, and standard puppy support for the rox desktop. While I'll rebuild this all from unleashed for Ripple, currently the development base is sitting on top of a standard Pupy 4.1 install. So I wonder.... how difficult wuld it be to provide some scripts to morph puppy in compiz-fusion puppy, for those interested? I'm imagining something similar to ezpup. Well and truly beyond me, but if anyone's interested I'm happy to provide all the info I have on how puppy works with just Compiz-fusion, Rox, and Cairo-dock. Most of it will be in the Project Ripple thread anyway. Cheers.
~dinky
Project Ripple: http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 7&start=15

[jcoder24]

Ok, next stage.

I want to minimize the number of icons of the desktop.
Then we of course need a simpler way to add icons than today.
I have made an approach.

1. The fixmenus-script now also generates links of all menu-apps in /root/my-applications/bin/
2. The file /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-filer/globicons are updated to match all menu-apps in /root/my-applications/bin/
3. The script icon2desk (in menu) opens rox in /root/my-applications/bin/ and shows a message.

How about /root/Desktop instead of /root/my-applications/bin/. Reason being that a lot of applications installs 'shortcuts' to $HOME/Desktop in the form of .desktop files.

.desktop files are already defined for most 'applications' in puppy and has the advantage of identifying the icon. This setup would be similar to that of other WM/DE and should require less work.

[zigbert]

Some too short answers to you guys. Great input, but unfortunately not bringing me closer to the truth. It might be that I just not played enough with the settings.....
- there is a extra problem with the transparent clock. it has to use the 'use-background' setting of xonclock.
- You shouldn't need to restart X to see changes.
- conky can't be started too early in .xinitrc, but it could be that a sleep in a external start-conky-script would solve it.
- qiv requires gtk1. I use xli instead, and I think it's doing the same job.

jcoder24
The icons in the desktop files are pointing to 16x16 icons, and are not very sharp as desktop icons.

Sigmund

[zigbert]

I have made another 2 traybars. these are set to autohide and to layer 0, which means thay will only show up if the wallpaper is not covered with apps. The utility-bar has layer 8 to get on top of app-windows. fullscreen viewers should use a higher layer, and screensaver the top layer (13).



I have now moved trash-icon together with others to the top-left corner. This is cleaner, and I wouldn't have to hack the fixpuppypin script.

I suggest that the calender is the default widget, since it has a refresh rate of 60 sec. This shouldn't affect hardware too much.

[WhoDo]

I suggest that the calender is the default widget, since it has a refresh rate of 60 sec. This shouldn't affect hardware too much.

Ok, I might suggest a cleanup here. Over AJ's objections, it looks better with the analogue clock on the desktop as well as the calendar. If you add the pup_save file space meter below those two, then you can get rid of everything else that has been "swallowed" by the task bar system tray, leaving only blinky and the volume meter behind.

That would leave a particularly sharp looking desktop that is also functional in the information sense. Info on the desktop is visible and easy to read where the same info buried in a small block in the system tray is less so. And let's face it, the users who are attracted to Puppy are not going to have problems reading the analogue clock either; they're probably already using hardware that almost pre-dates digital clocks anyway! Power-headed kids with SMP, transparent boxes with LED's and water-cooled innards aren't Puppy's target market, IMHO

[Lobster]

I prefer just calender - I don't need two clocks - If I am a clock watcher I will install a second clock.

I also like the possible drag from menu to desktop . . . that would be a great feature if possible

Useful suggestions from WhoDo. Ongoing improvements from Zigbert

Looking good.

[`f00]

My second clock is on the top line of conky so my eyes can be lazy and not have to dart about so much

Very nice direction this is taking P42 - what you look at is actually quite important although we sometimes deprecate it as 'bling'. As a matter of fact, it's one of the small points of why I keep SeaMonkey around is the pretty incognu themes and the decent integration with gtk (poor Opera so far fails for me with the submenus reverting to that win2k look). Anyhow .. very good work so far, hopefully it will all come together and be as universally do-able as the Stardust gtk is.

Good choices on the colors and textures. Personally I'm not a big fan of gradients in the main menu or even submenus since they tend to reduce the clarity/contrast of fonts - it would be nice to have a flat option (really flat, not even the slight 'buttonized' 3D modeling although a border usually is helpful) which might help also those with smaller screens since the margin and padding can be minimal as well. Some browser skin/themes do this quite well (Firefox series 2, miniFoxFlat comes to mind).

Absolutely more functional to have hot/hover/muted in a sensible contrast scheme, although it can be tricky at times just how 'hot' and how to match it all up so it strikes a balance pleasing yet consistent. If jwm is used as default wm, I find the consistent approach (active/passive color schemes are the same for windows, mainmenu and taskbar) lends a subtle ease of visual flow to working and having all make sense so that one doesn't even have to think 'is this active or ..'. I recall many times with very small 3D raised/lowered radiobuttons being forced to really look hard to tell which way they were toggled.

The simplified mainmenu icons (see http://i35.tinypic.com/53qtqc.png ) are appealing even if some are slightly ambiguous at first glance, others are a clear improvement (minor niggle, should the color be contrasting to both active and passive backgrounds or perhaps more contrasty on the active/selected?).

Has the Stardust gtk theme ever been done in a dark variant? Or even warm orange rather than the coolish blue for buttons, lozenges and such might be another thought if one likes more-or-less matching themes rather than complementary.

Looking sweet

[WhoDo]

Has the Stardust gtk theme ever been done in a dark variant? Or even warm orange rather than the coolish blue for buttons, lozenges and such might be another thought if one likes more-or-less matching themes rather than complementary.

Stardust is itself a variant of H2O-Stardust, and there are dark blue and green variants of the original. OTOH, there are some really nice orange Gtk-2.0 themes around these days - Ubuntu Pearl is one that comes immediately to mind.

Nice contribution F00!

[zigbert]

Ok, I might suggest a cleanup here. Over AJ's objections, it looks better with the analogue clock on the desktop as well as the calendar. If you add the pup_save file space meter below those two, then you can get rid of everything else that has been "swallowed" by the task bar system tray, leaving only blinky and the volume meter behind.

Nice thought, and I have until now been negative to it, since the freememapplet produces a very informative red massage on top of desktop when pupsave gets full. I have to look more into this ... There is a great benefit with widgets compared to tray-applets. - On low-powered systems these can easily be turned off (like the Puppy greyhound). It is also possible to replace battery monitor and blinky if wanted.

But before pushing this experiment further I need to check conkys need of resources. Hopefully I get some time this weekend to fire up a good old machinery, and measure tray-applets and conky widgets. Hmmm! That will be interesting.

Sigmund