I currently put OpenBox on my computer, and while I really like it I really miss having a dock and taskbar, the ability to have wallpaper, etc.

Right now I am using kdesktop and kicker but are there better apps? One bad thing about using kdesktop is that I no longer get the right click access to my OpenBox menu.

What do all you fans of lightweight WM's use to make Window manager life easier?

Thanks

For desktop icons: look into rox and idesk. They can be configured to show your openbox menu.
For desktop wallpaper: this is built into X, you just need the right command put in your config file.

For taskbar: ? Try looking at what the other desktop environments use.

The site is down right now, but I looked at the Google cache of it. They seem to answer you question there:
http://icculus.org/openbox/2

I knew that you could use xsetroot to set an image as backdrop, but unless I misunderstood the help for it, the image must be bmp. This is quite a hassle as I have *many* wallpapers, and pretty much all of them are jpg or png.


Also, I have looked at Rox before, and it was actually too "heavy" for what I was after. I love the totally light weight of OpenBox and really just wanted a taskbar/dock etc. to add to it. I have seen several in screen shots but noone seems to put which apps they are using along with the picture.

I will take a look at iDesk though and post back with what I think.

The setting of a root image is (or should be) a task separate from that of a window manager. With Openbox you should be able to use one of several applications...bsetroot, bsetbg, Esetroot, fbsetbg, xv, feh, etc.

For the right-click in KDE, i think you can customize your mouse buttons within KDE and choose one for a menu.

Enlightenment is what i currently use. DR16 is pretty much stable (on my box at least) and is _extremely_ fast, not to mention pretty. It may take quite a bit of getting used to but it absolutely rocks if you get used to it. check out www.enlightenment.org (i think)

I use wmsetbg to set my background picture (A JPG)

Don't like taskbars, so can't help with that.. I have my keyboard "Start" button set to call up the main menu wherever my mouse pointer happens to be, GKrellM to show me things like the time, and the window list comes up using Alt-Tab or the Menu button. Which basically negates the need for a Taskbar..

I personally use FVWM2 as a WM - I can log in and fire up a web browser or whatever before my monitor has woken up enough to let me see it

Thanks for the replies. I checked out Enlightenment and it shows the most promise of the ones I have tried so far. It is just going to take a while to get it where I would want it.

I may take another look at FVWM 2 as a window manager when I finally convert my main box to linux. I have one at work I have been playing with (hey, it ain't my machine! what's the worst I do, break it?) and once finals week is over the migration shall begin...

Reading the list of things you want sounds like a description of Fluxbox. It's very lightweight, has a taskbar (though I configured and compiled mine without it), a dock (which it calls a slit), a rt-click menu (with adjustable transparency), and you can set png files for wallpaper.

I just noticed that they introduced a new development version about two days ago, so I'll probably be compiling mine tomorrow.

http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net

Enjoy!
--- Cerbere

personaly when i use a window manager i try to avoid gnome or kde dependant applications as i never install gnome/xfce or kde.

window maker dockapps/gkrellm/other individual accessories
fluxbox stuff(fbpager,etc...) from fluxbox page
file managers : rox,xfe,filerunner,gentoo,etc...
desktop background : set by theme or direct usager of xli,xv,Esetroot,etc...
if using fluxbox, tab groups, binding keys
launcher bar like asbuttons, wmbutton, etc...
panel : fspanel, fbpanel