LinuxQuestions.org
Review your favorite Linux distribution.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Desktop
User Name
Password
Linux - Desktop This forum is for the discussion of all Linux Software used in a desktop context.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 06-16-2007, 02:25 PM   #1
arnuld
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Punjab (INDIA)
Distribution: Arch
Posts: 211

Rep: Reputation: 30
a small mini-terminal for Winodow Manager


i am using Windowmaker on Gentoo. i do not use Desktops. In windowmaker i have to do "Righ-Click" -> Menu to do everything and dockapps are not available for the things i want to do.

i just want to have small mini-Terminal of the size of a dockapp where i can enter name of the application to launch it. i literally hate using menu, too much mouse clicks. that small terminal can look like this (like the last dockapp on Left Hand Side):

http://ironphoenix.org/tril/fvwm/snake.jpg

any ideas ?
 
Old 06-17-2007, 02:53 PM   #2
penguiniator
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Olympia, WA
Distribution: SolydK
Posts: 442
Blog Entries: 3

Rep: Reputation: 60
http://www.windowmaker.info/features.php?show=menus

This page makes reference to features in Windowmaker allowing you to create your own custom run dialog without having to add additional software.
 
Old 06-18-2007, 03:09 AM   #3
grahamatlq
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2006
Posts: 40

Rep: Reputation: 18
Use xterm

You could just run an xterm and reduce the size to one line http://linuxquestions.cachefly.net/i...s/twocents.gif
 
Old 06-18-2007, 04:39 AM   #4
indeliblestamp
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Distribution: Fedora
Posts: 341
Blog Entries: 3

Rep: Reputation: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguiniator
http://www.windowmaker.info/features.php?show=menus

This page makes reference to features in Windowmaker allowing you to create your own custom run dialog without having to add additional software.
This is what I'd recommend too. I use xbindkeys + fbrun, so when I hit Mod4+q, a tiny box pops up where I can launch my apps immediately. (I prefer fbrun to windowmaker's own launcher because of the former's very nice tab completion. If you have fluxbox installed you probably have it)
Since you use windowmaker, you don't even need xbindkeys: just use wmpref to give a binding to your launcher of choice.
 
Old 06-20-2007, 04:34 PM   #5
julot
Member
 
Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Distribution: Slackware
Posts: 36

Rep: Reputation: 15
mmhh... you can do what you want with wmaker only. Open the WPrefs utility (mine lives at /usr/lib/GNUstep/Applications/WPrefs.app/WPrefs but yours might be somewhere else) and go to the menu editor (near the end of the list). You will find that it is possible to define a keybinding for all the entries in the menu. In the menu, select the one called "Run..". In the WPrefs window you will be able to define a hotkey (mine is Alt+F2, just like KDE). If you want to use the Alt key you have to write it down as Mod1
 
Old 06-21-2007, 02:23 AM   #6
blseal
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jun 2005
Location: Australia
Distribution: Fedora Core 6
Posts: 3

Rep: Reputation: 0
Not sure if it's quite what you're after, but you could try Tilda. It stays hidden until you press its shortcut key, after which it drops down from the top of your screen.
 
Old 06-21-2007, 02:24 AM   #7
blseal
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jun 2005
Location: Australia
Distribution: Fedora Core 6
Posts: 3

Rep: Reputation: 0
Forgot the link - http://tilda.sourceforge.net
 
Old 06-21-2007, 02:49 AM   #8
arcanex
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2007
Posts: 41

Rep: Reputation: 15
Instead of Tilda, you can also use yeahconsole, which is much less bloat. (only requires recent version of xterm, which you probably already have)

http://phrat.de/yeahtools.html

Or, even better:

Code:
xterm -geometry 80x1
 
Old 06-21-2007, 01:50 PM   #9
dawkcid
Member
 
Registered: May 2007
Location: UK
Distribution: LFS,Slackware,Slamd64,NetBSD
Posts: 102

Rep: Reputation: 15
I also use xbindkeys. The advantage over using the window manager's features is that you have consistency regardless of wm (i.e. if you switch to a different wm, no need to reconfigure your key bingings).

And if you run out of keys (or can't remember them all), for simple commands (i.e. no arguments or fixed arguments) you can also "overload" xterm/rxvt to produce a unique appicon. E.g.

Code:
xterm -name MyApp -e cmd
will create an appicon with the resource name "MyApp" (which is distinct from the default xterm appicon). You can then edit the "Settings" (right click on appicon) to give it it's own icon, etc.

One problem is that you have a useless xterm lying around waiting for the program to exit. The solution to this is, after you have your appicon, bring up the "Settings" to show the command line that is executed. Change it to

Code:
xterm -name MyApp -e sh -c 'nohup cmd &'
This will cause the shell to exec the cmd in the background and exit immediately. nohup prevents the cmd from dying when shell exits. Note that you can't just do this to begin with since the appicon disappears when the xterm exits (put in on the dock before editing the Settings). Also note that you can't just do '... -e nohup ...' because it is the shell which interprets the '&'.

You can also add a -geometry option to open the xterm offscreen so it doesn't cause annoying flicker when it pops up/exits. (e.g. -geometry 1x1+-50+-50).
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
mini-mini live distro. BaptismOfFire Linux - Distributions 2 04-25-2007 05:51 AM
Looking for Small Linux with GTK Terminal bobbyb Linux - Laptop and Netbook 4 12-22-2006 10:21 PM
small / mini distro for me ? emz Linux - Distributions 2 03-27-2006 02:40 AM
switching from a file manager to a terminal and back (with the same directory) Zed Lopez Linux - Software 1 06-08-2005 02:29 AM
fast, small window manager MACSRULE Linux - General 5 09-27-2004 02:08 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Desktop

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:11 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration