Switch acer desktop <-> xfce from panel (icon)

Discussion in 'Modding and Customization' started by adcomp, Aug 18, 2008.

  1. adcomp

    marudai

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2008
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    New Mexico, US
    Re: Switch acer desktop <-> xfce

    Dunno if it breaks it "permanently". I left the switch in place but set my system back to booting to the Acer launcher. If I do that and then hit the switch after it boots I get aufs back AND the xfce desktop. It's worth one click to me.
     
    marudai, Sep 8, 2008
    #41
  2. adcomp

    kgingeri

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2008
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    I noticed that when I ran Thunar the first time after boot, I get a notice that the card is added - a "df" in terminal shows it is, as well as browsing my files of course.

    BTW, I'm booting direct into xfce4 by editing both /usr/bin/xfdesktop and /usr/bin/xfdesktopnew (they are scripts, so "sudo mousepad <...either of the files above...>") and changing references to point xfdesktop-xfce instead of Acers xfdesktop files. Also after adding the menu to the panel and other mods, I then did a "xfce4-panel --save" - scripts for switching isn't a bad a idea tho

    UPDATE: Ok I take it back - it is not working that way anymore - the card and Thunar! I know it was working at one point with the xfce desktop :(
    UPDATE: Also on trying to restore the Acer desktop I discovered that simply copying the saved file (I was prepared :p) xfdesktop2-acer back to xfdesktop2, my desktop came back to original. Replacing the above edited files didn't do it. I had copied the xfdesktop-xfce (binary) over top of xfdesktop2 (also a binary) - apparently. It would appear that that is all you have to do, as root of course to get the standard desktop.
     
    kgingeri, Sep 9, 2008
    #42
  3. adcomp

    wired

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2008
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Everyone,

    Excellent tutorial here! I just got an AAO-150 here and it's running really well, but I have one question. I tried using the panel manager to move my panel to the top instead of the bottom of the screen (as per the screenshots earlier in this thread), but I get 3 extra empty rows that take up space and force my actual usable screen to be too small. How do I fix this? (edit the panel config by hand?)

    Also, how do I change the order of the icons in the panel launcher? Currently, I have the quick desktop switch script as the last icon, and I'd like the power button to be the last icon.

    EDIT: SOLVED ORDER ISSUE. I edited ~/.xfce4/panels/panels.xml by hand to change the order. Now I just need to know how to shrink that damn top bar down to a usable size...

    Thanks!
     
    wired, Sep 10, 2008
    #43
  4. adcomp

    jhedrotten

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2008
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Manila, Philippines


    how do you do this?
     
    jhedrotten, Sep 12, 2008
    #44
  5. adcomp

    ossified65

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2008
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi all, I just solved this problem yesterday by installing desktop-switch-0.3-1.i386.rpm.gz, which I found at a German Blog www.iphpbb3.com/forum/39151476nx21895/l ... -t218.html . The defualt archive GUI in Linpus wouldn't work for me so I had to use the terminal. I think it was gzip -d desktop-switch-0.3-1.i386.rpm.gz . Then I installed it with sudo rpm -i desktop-switch-0.3-1.i386.rpm .

    It adds the icon to the panel at the bottom allowing you to switch between screens.

    Hope this helps!

    Bryan
     
    ossified65, Sep 12, 2008
    #45
  6. adcomp

    adcomp

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Belgium
    modify format.txt ( config file ) ..
    Code:
    cp /etc/xdg/xfce4/desktop/format.txt  ~/.config/xfce4/desktop
    mousepad  ~/.config/xfce4/desktop/format.txt 
    this part :
    kill acer desktop and restart it :
    Code:
    killall xfdesktop2 && sleep 1 && xfdesktop2 &
     
    adcomp, Sep 12, 2008
    #46
  7. adcomp

    jhedrotten

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2008
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Manila, Philippines
    can i install standard xfce themes after i switched desktops? thanks a lot. because i don't want to modify my desktop way too much because reisntalling the OS is way too tedious for me to wait. i just want to have the linpus xfce and install themes. thanks a lot adcomp.
     
    jhedrotten, Sep 13, 2008
    #47
  8. adcomp

    yep

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2008
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Nice and easy!

    Well, allmost. I accidentally got two icons to the panel. How can I get rid of the extra one? Everything else is as it should be.
     
    yep, Sep 13, 2008
    #48
  9. adcomp

    Andysan

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2008
    Messages:
    272
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi all,

    Is this switch a temporary thing each time the script is called, or are any files permanently modified?

    Also, this modification to kill off the search bar:

    Does this also kill off the search bar in the Linpus desktop (forever)?

    Basically, i want to be able to click a button and switch between desktops at leisure, but always boot back into the Linpus desktop and not risk messing anything up. Will this script do this for me?

    Thanks.
     
    Andysan, Sep 14, 2008
    #49
  10. adcomp

    TheComebackKid

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Re: Switch acer desktop <-> xfce

    I didn't even notice this but you are correct, aufs breaks when booting into the standard xfce desktop.
    I switched back so my AAO will boot into the Acer desktop and aufs is fine.
    Anybody have a fix for this?
    The steps in the link say to:
    Edit xfdesktopnew in /usr/bin to run xfdesktop instead of xfdesktop2 and then changed line 6 in xfdesktop to "/usr/bin/xfdesktop-xfce & >/dev/null 2>&1".
    Maybe xfdesktop2 starts up aufs and when we boot up in the standard xfce desktop aufs in never started up?
     
    TheComebackKid, Sep 18, 2008
    #50
  11. adcomp

    Andysan

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2008
    Messages:
    272
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hmmm... I was thinking the following here - i want to keep my Aspire One stock when i boot, but then launch the XFCE desktop and some other things when this script is run:

    Code:
        #!/bin/sh
    
        # Test if easy mode (acer)
        ps aux | grep xfdesktop2 | grep '/usr/bin'
    
        #  0 = Acer Desktop 
        if [ $? = 0 ]; then
           killall xfdesktop2
           killall acer-search-desktop
           sleep .5
           /usr/bin/xfdesktop-xfce &
    [color=#000080]     <kill dock>
         <move tool bar to bottom of screen>
         <change wallpaper to something stock>
    [/color]
        else
           killall xfdesktop-xfce
           sleep .5
           /usr/bin/xfdesktop2 &
          /usr/bin/acer-search-desktop &
    [color=#000080]     <launch dock here>
         <move tool bar to top of screen>
         <change wallpaper to something xfce-ish>
    [/color]
    
        fi
    
    Killing/launching the acer search and dock (when i install one) is easy, but does anyone know how i can move the toolbar to the top of the screen and change the wallpaper back and forth please? Cheers!


    EDIT - OK, so this is what I've got now:

    First, move whatever file you want for the "Acer desktop" background to /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png

    Now move whatever file you want for the "Xfce desktop" background to /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/xfcebg.png

    Set the /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png as your background through the right-click > settings> desktop settings menu. If your file is a .jpg or otherwise, make the relevant changes to the script below and run.


    Code:
        #!/bin/sh
    
        # Test if easy mode (acer)
        ps aux | grep xfdesktop2 | grep '/usr/bin'
    
        #  0 = Acer Desktop 
        if [ $? = 0 ]; then
           killall xfdesktop2
           killall acer-search-desktop
           sleep .5
          mv /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png.bak
          mv /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/xfcebg.png /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png
           sleep .5
           /usr/bin/xfdesktop-xfce &
    
        else
           killall xfdesktop-xfce
           sleep .5
           mv /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/xfce.png
           mv /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png.bak /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/acerbg.png
           sleep .5
           /usr/bin/xfdesktop2 &
          /usr/bin/acer-search-desktop &
        fi
    

    Todo:

    Launch a dock.
    Move position of toolbar to incorporate dock.

    Kind of messy, and you must remember to change back before shut down (else your desktops will be backwards) but should work OK methinks.
     
    Andysan, Sep 21, 2008
    #51
  12. adcomp

    Serendipity

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2008
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Simple script, amazingly cool result. Thanks for sharing!
     
    Serendipity, Sep 25, 2008
    #52
  13. adcomp

    craggsy

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2008
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    0
    This is brilliant many thanks !
     
    craggsy, Sep 26, 2008
    #53
  14. adcomp

    one23

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    this is great thanks!

    i think replacing the line "/usr/bin/acer-search-desktop &" with "/usr/share/search-bar/start-search_bar.sh" will work better for the search bar when switching back to the acer desktop.

    anyhow i have removed the search bar from my desktop because it doesn't go with the wallpaper :)

    [attachment=1:1x9zz3jb]Screenshot1.png[/attachment:1x9zz3jb]

    [attachment=0:1x9zz3jb]Screenshot2.png[/attachment:1x9zz3jb]
     
    one23, Oct 11, 2008
    #54
  15. adcomp

    Andysan

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2008
    Messages:
    272
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks one23, thats a good point.

    Ace username by the way... :D
     
    Andysan, Oct 23, 2008
    #55
  16. adcomp

    ironboy007

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    hello, i have my aspire since yesterday and I used your script to get the xfce desktop, it works fine but I have two problems:
    the first one is that i can't figure out how create desktop icons on the xfce desktop, and the second one wich is more annoying is that when i shutdown my AA1 while still being on the modified desktop the computer freeze and I get a white screen. I have to shutdown my computer by pressing the power button.

    i hope that someone will be able to help me with my problems.
    thanx in advance
    (and sorry for my poor English )
     
    ironboy007, Nov 9, 2008
    #56
  17. adcomp

    emilio

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2008
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    I DID IT TWICE and now I have two icons in the desktop. how can I delete one of them?
    regards
     
    emilio, Nov 13, 2008
    #57
  18. adcomp

    krog

    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2008
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Perfect.

    Only difference was I d/l'd the gzip, extracted the folder, opened the folder and double clicked the .rpm file.
    Installed perfect, switches perfect. Thanks a million.
     
    krog, Nov 14, 2008
    #58
  19. adcomp

    stuartbrown123

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2008
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi

    Very new to this.

    When I click the launcer button it tells me that changedesktop does not exist. I have saved the script as /home/user/changedesktop.sh - have i missed something simple

    Ta
     
    stuartbrown123, Dec 25, 2008
    #59
  20. adcomp

    GvidoR

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2008
    Messages:
    556
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Japan.
    This worked perfectly, thanks a lot! :D
     
    GvidoR, Jan 2, 2009
    #60
Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments (here). After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.