Editing a pinboard item []

[rmcellig]

I have done this before but obviously I am doing something wrong. I want to create an icon on the pinboard that when click goes directly to the CNN website.

[don570]

instead of /usr/share/applications/Firefox.desktop....

I would open up the desktop file (if it exists??)

Code: Select all

geany /usr/share/applications/Firefox.desktop

To see what it is in the 'exec=' line and use the app it lists.


Another simpler method is to replace

Code: Select all

 /usr/share/applications/Firefox.desktop

with

'defaulthtmlviewer' which Barry kauler has defined
in /usr/local/bin/defaulthtmlviewer.

___________________________________

[rmcellig]

I figured it out. I dragged a defaultbrowser icon to the pinboard, clicked edit item and change the attributes to http://www.gmail.com. Works great now.

Thanks for your help!

[rmcellig]

I just came up with another problem. If I add an icon to one of the files on the pinboard, all the other ones have the same icon that use the path /usr/local/bin/defaulthtmlviewer. How can I get around this?

[`f00]

These are the browser/url shortcuts? It may be worthwhile to do simple scripts for them if you have more than a few, then drag the script to the pinboard and set icon for each (you could use a local copy of the 'sites cached favicon or other suitable image, for example)

Yeah, using a generic with various args is kind of hard for set-icon to assign each a unique icon based on the arg.

If I recall correctly, there's also some stuff in the set-icon dialogue for this-file-only/files-of-this-type and so on, but that probably doesn't apply in this specific case.

[rmcellig]

Yes. These are the shortcuts.

If I drag a Firefox.desktop icon from the /applications directory to the pinboard, will the same thing happen where all the icons are the same? It's funny because I tried the Firefox.desktop way with the arg http:www.cnn.com, and that did not work. It worked when the shortcut was redirected to the defaultbrowser path. Why would this be?

Could I not just create a new files called something like this:

/usr/local/bin/defaulthtmlviewer1
/usr/local/bin/defaulthtmlviewer2
/usr/local/bin/defaulthtmlviewer3

And than have shortcuts to those on the pinboard?

[tallboy]

Hi rmcellig.
The desktop files (right-click to open) in /usr/share/applications/ are used to make entries in the menus, it is better to drag a binary to the desktop. (check the existing desktop items by right-clicking them and choose 'Edit item', and you will see that it is common practise) In a console window, use the command 'which firefox' to see where the program's binary is located. In my 5.2.8, running 'which' direct me to a script /usr/bin/firefox, which reads:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
/usr/lib/firefox/run-mozilla.sh /usr/lib/firefox/firefox "$@"

That is the script also run by 'defaultbrowser'. The reason for using that script, is that /usr/lib/ is not in the executable path, and Firefox have had different locations for the binary file. (run 'echo $PATH' to view it)
You can drag the binary /usr/bin/firefox to the desktop - or your own version with args, right-click it to set an icon, usually taken from /usr/share/pixmaps, or from /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps. Right-click on the 'eye'-symbol in the window menu for icon thumb-views.

'Defaultbrowser' is a script in /usr/local/bin/, all scripts there can be opened as text, and you are free to make your own by using them as templates. If you make your own, you can also make a desktop file in /usr/share/applications/, if you want them to show as a menu item as well.
After designing your new desktop, go to Menu >> Desktop Settings >> Desksetup Templates for Desk Icons, make a custom setup and save it so it will start up at next bootup.

The description is based on LupuPlus_5.2.8, using ROX and jwm.

tallboy

[rmcellig]

Thanks tallboy!

That's a lot to digest and understand. I will go through your explanation line by line so that I can understand it fully.

That's a lot to go through just to put an icon on a desktop file but I am sure after I carefully read what you wrote, it will make sense to me. In Ubuntu it's pretty east to set up a launcher.

What I am trying to do is see if puppy would be a good fit for my mom's computer. All she needs is a one click solution to the places she visits every day ( online banking, Facebook, gmail, Skype) that's it. I guess I could also set keyboard shortcuts as well. For example F1, F2, F3, F4.

[tallboy]

That's a lot to digest and understand

Uhh, I admit that I do have a tendency to write way too long posts in a sometimes malformed language (like this one), sorry...

Oh, well, here goes:

There is an option for setting a key shortcut in the Edit item option if you right-click the icon on the desktop (pinboard). See image below.

Be a little careful about keyboard shortcuts. Linux itself, Puppy, or a program in an open window, may be using that specific shortcut for another purpose! That is one reaon for my dislike of terminal windows with keyboard shortcuts! Especially if sloppy focus is set in the jwm-config, letting the window under the mouse take focus.

Using an easy to understand desktop item, maybe with a custom menu entry in addition, is probably better. Remember to run fixmenus and jwm -restart after adding menu items.

You can remaster a puppy to suit your Mom's spesific purpose. To get the latest version of programs, you should update the ppm: Desktop item install >> Puppy Package Manager >> Configurepackage manager >> update database. You have to click yes a few times, then let it work for some time while you do something else.... When downloading programs for my puppy, I always prefer .pets for lucid, if available.
I have made notes of every step during my remastering processes, and I am currently writing a help file in Notecase that I will publish in the near future, showing how and why I did my modifications.

Here are some links to recommended sites:

• http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=69321 mickey01's excellent and detailed help for Lucid_5.2.5, download it, and you'll find it in the Menu under Help. A must!
• http://puppy.b0x.me/desktop-iconsets Some nice icon sets
• http://puppylinux.org/wikka/ Lots and lots of info
• http://dokupuppylinux.info/programs?do=index An overview of all programs
• http://diddywahdiddy.net/LupuNews/index4.htm Lucid puppy news
• http://www.wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html Google search engine for Puppy
• http://tldp.org Some very useful Linux basics, see under Guides:
  • Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide
  • Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide
  • GNU/Linux Command-Line Tools Summary

tallboy

[rmcellig]

Hi Tallboy!

I am blown away by your last post. So helpful!! I have been using Puppy Lucid 5.2.8 off and on for the past few months although recently I have been using Puppy more and more. I have other distros on my laptops that I check out from time to time but it seems for me that there is nothing quite like Puppy Lucid.

For a while I was having problems on how to set up file sharing until I discovered YASSM. Now with great help from the YASSM author, setting file shares is so easy now.

Thanks again Tallboy!!

[rmcellig]

I forgot to mention that I use Openbox in Lucid. But, I just found out that creating launchers in xfce is drop dead easy so after switching to the xfce DE, I am finding it way easier not only to create launchers but also key mapping takes just a few seconds.

I know there is are OBmenu and OBkeys GUI apps but for some reason it doesn't work in Lucid.

[tallboy]

I have stayed with jwm, as I think it is small and also a more mature product, so I tend to forget there are other wms out there!

I have some massive Debians on several harddisks, but I rarely use them anymore, they are for special purposes only. I always run live, and I have earlier used dpup_484 and 485, but now LupuPlus_5.2.8 is my favorite, it simply works on all my old machines. I have added a few and replaced some programs with old favorites, and the 528 now cover 90-95% of my needs when it comes to computing in general.

tallboy

[rmcellig]

That's great!

So you run puppy from a CD or USB? Maybe I should do the same. Do you have a save file(s)?

[rmcellig]

Tallboy,

You use jwm. What do you like about it over Openbox? I might just take another look at jwm. The reason I don't use it is because (maybe it's me), it doesn't have the options and flexibility of Openbox?

Please set me straight

Thanks!!

[`f00]

Okay, probably off-topic but.. (considering your Mom)

She might like wbar or a specialized jwm tray (with all her favs as traybuttons)

wbar - orderly line of icons wherever you like (vbar on left or right edge or top or bottom .. wbar -help for params to set a custom loadline). alpha or filter to get different looks - lots of options and super easy to edit ~/.wbar for icons, commands and text labels. You can tone-down the 'jump' param if the default is a bit much

jwm tray(s) - the autohide feature is such a great space saver if her screen is smallish (bump the edge and voila it's there, leave the edge and all tidy). Multiple trays (left, right etc) for say online traybuttons on left and card games on right or however

just throwing in as alternatives (it can be distressing to accidentally remove pinboard icons with an errant r-click )

______either/or
jwm - illustrated rootmenu, excellent native tray system
openbox - autoraise with delay, comprehensive rc for controls

[tallboy]

'f00, that is very good and relevant input! rcmellig, why not burn a couple of versions, it's fun to play with puppys!
I burn my puppys multisession to a CD or DVD, I prefer that over USB sticks. If I have some working files to save, I usually save them to a portable USB harddisc, or maybe to the hd in the machine I use. Multisession means you can save to the CD/DVD whenever you like, there is an image of my CD contents here. On a multisession CD you can make up to about 100 saves, on a DVD up to about 1000-1200, depending on the size of the saved files, of course. It is the simplest way to keep all your puppy stuff on a single disc. It is also possible to make several saves to a disc in a way that they are invisible at bootup, but available for use if you mount the disc. If you want to try multisession, you have to burn a disc with the Burniso2cd or Pburn program from the Multimedia section in the Menu. Use a cheap CD-R or DVD-R, no need for a R/W disc. Once you realize how brilliant multisession is, you're hooked! There is a separate section on multisession in the Forum index.

I have never used another wm in puppy, just looked at them without being impressed. I use good old fvwm2 in Debian. You can get an impression of what you can do with jwm by browsing the config possibilities here.

tallboy

[rmcellig]

Thanks tallboy!

I tried burning to a DVD a while back and noticed that the space on my DVD quickly filled up. I think my save file was too big? I can't remember. I can try it again because I have a lot of DVDs as well as DVD R/W's

There are some things I can do in Openbox that I haven't figured out in JWM. For example, when I right click on the desktop, the font is too small. I can't figure out how to increase that font and the one in the menu at the far left of the taskbar. In Openbox it was pretty easy changing the font size.

[`f00]

Fonts in jwm are according to theme rather than global. Bump a 12 to 14 and so on for the relevant style (flip the jwmconfig->themeswitcher usually shows changes of editing each theme in ~/.jwm/themes/<themename>-jwmrc).

Height may affect the font display somewhat - I think it's scaled if the font is too tall for the height - template for the menu item heights, jwmconfig guis or personal or the tray rc for the others as I recall ~or~ back to the <themename>-jwmrc good thing restart jwm (or themeswitcher) is painless!

rootmenu:3 is the same as the one from the traybutton (or Alt+F1 by default keybind in template or personal)

[rmcellig]

Thanks `f00 !

Tallboy,

What size do you usually keep your save file at and what tips would you offer in making sure the save file never gets too big? Thanks!

[tallboy]

Menu >> Desktop >> Desktop Settings >> Set Global Font Size. Set to 96 if running a LCD screen, default is set to 78, which is too small.
Menu >> Shutdown >> Restart X server. Expect miracles.

I tried burning to a DVD a while back and noticed that the space on my DVD quickly filled up

That is not the way to make a multisession disc Take a look at the titles of the threads in the Forum's Multisession section, you should easily find the correct way to make a live CD from your savefile, if that is what you really want.

The easy way is to download the 528 .iso, and then use the Menu >> Multimedia >> Burniso2cd program (works for DVD too) to burn the .iso to a disc. Burniso2cd ask if you want your CD to be multisession, a DVD is default burnt as multisession. To run the disc after you burnt it, you must rename your savefile on the harddisc so puppy don't find it, otherwise it will be loaded at bootup instead of the disc. (or you can disconnect your HD!) The live disc loads the entire puppy into RAM, and runs from RAM. It probably take a little longer to boot, but run fast. After it has started, you can remove the CD if you need to run some other disc-based stuff. When you finish, use the Menu >> Shutdown>> Power off computer, and dialog windows appear to ask if you want to save your session to CD. Answer yes, and let it take the time it need to finish the burning process, don't care if dialog appear on the screen, when the disc pops out, it is finished! If you boot up again with the same disc, the modifications to your puppy are as they were before shutdown, except for a save-button that has appeared. You may use that button to save to CD as often as you like while running from RAM, unless you only want to save at shutdown. If you have nothing to save, just remove the disc and turn off the computer.
(Jeez, these posts turn into books! )

When running live, there is no savefile. If you just save to a new session on a multisession CD/DVD, your latest saves are loaded first at bootup, and because puppy doesn't overwrite newer files, only relevant older saves are loaded into RAM, to keep it small. If you drop files into a dir named /archive/, they are not loaded at bootup, but they are available if you mount the disc.

tallboy