LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] Can you customize dmenu?

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Can you customize dmenu?

Hey. I have a question :-) Can you customize dmenu? I'd like to know if there is a file or fork of dmenu that I can change it's appearance. Really I would like to change it's width to match the i3bar.

I put this under Arch because the packages might be Arch pacific:
Thanks for reading. Hope there is a way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itscience (Post 5397525)

Really I would like to change it's width to match the i3bar.

To modify the height of the dmenu bar, you will have to download the source code and modify that.

Code:

git clone http://git.suckless.org/dmenu

cd dmenu

You will need to alter the paths in dmenu/config.mk to this:

Code:

# paths

PREFIX = /usr

MANPREFIX = ${PREFIX}/share/man



X11INC = /usr/include/X11

X11LIB = /usr/lib/X11

Then copy the default configuration file to a user-alterable version:

Code:

cp config.def.h config.h

Then modify config.h to your taste (the latest MASTER branch now has Xft support so you can use a fancy font if you wish).

For the bar height, modify dmenu.c

Code:

vim dmenu.c

Go to line 617 (this is specific to the current MASTER branch):

Code:

bh = drw->fonts[0]->h + 2;

This line sets the height of the bar ("bh") to the height of the font plus two pixels ("h + 2") -- simply change "2" to whichever value you want and compile and install the package:

Code:

make

# make install

Alternatively, you could modify the version found in the repositories by using the Arch Build System and install with pacman (ie, the "correct" way) -- the line is very similar but is at a different line number.

It is also possible to use the PKGBUILD found in the ABS to install the git version with pacman.

Perfect. This will give me the opportunity to learn about the Arch Build System.
Thanks for your reply. It is very helpful :-)

Hi, sorry about this but I have one last query.
I have tried the Arch way but something isn't quite working.
I have used abs to build from source:
#abs community/dmenu $mkdir $HOME/abs $cp -r /var/abs/community/dmenu ~/abs $cd ~/abs/dmenu $makepkg -s

Once it is finished I am left with folders and a dmenu-***.pkg.tar.xz file and I make the changes I wanna make in ~/abs/dmenu/src/dmenu
I $cp config.def.h config.h and edit the config.h, config.mk and dmenu.c
dmenu.c doesn't have the line you described but I found bh = dc->font.height + 2; on line 552 which I figured must be it.
next thing is I use #pacman -U dmenu-***.pkg.tar.xz and the program is installed but no changes are made.

I can only assume that the folder are irrelevant and the changes I should be making are in fact in the pkg.tar.xz file.
I'd love to know what I am missing or doing wrong. Please let me know. Thanks again :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by itscience (Post 5397875)

$makepkg -s

From makepkg(8):

Quote:

-e, --noextract
Do not extract source files or run the prepare() function (if present); use whatever
source already exists in the $srcdir/ directory. This is handy if you want to go into
$srcdir/ and manually patch or tweak code, then make a package out of the result. Keep
in mind that creating a patch may be a better solution to allow others to use your
PKGBUILD.

Use:

Code:

makepkg -efi

EDIT: You also have to either update the checksums or use:

Code:

makepkg -efi --skipinteg

Eurika! Thank you :-)

To clarify I used:
$mkdir ~/abs
$abs repository/package
$cp -r /var/abs/repository/package ~/abs
$makepkg -s (in ~/abs/package_folder)
(Made the changes I wanted/needed)
$makepkg -efi --skipinteg (again, in ~/abs/package_folder)

So far I've had no problems. I am sure I can fiddle to my hearts content should I desire it but the dmenu looks a lot smarter and matches with the i3bar perfectly :-)

Cheers, again!

You're welcome, glad you got it working.

dmenu FTW!
:)