NAME
FvwmTaskBar - the fvwm taskbar module
SYNOPSIS
FvwmTaskBar [name]
FvwmTaskBar is spawned by fvwm, so no command line invocation will
work.
DESCRIPTION
The FvwmTaskBar module provides a taskbar made up of buttons arranged
by rows, each corresponding to a window that fvwm is managing.
Clicking on first button gives focus to the corresponding top level
window; clicking on the middle button will hide a top level window;
third mouse button is reserved for a future extension (context menu).
Like the other modules, FvwmTaskBar only works when fvwm is used as the
window manager.
When started, the taskbar shows up as a single row of buttons filling
the full width of the screen, but during the work can be resized to
accommodate up to 8 rows. In addition, if the AutoStick option is used,
the taskbar will auto position itself at the top or bottom of the
screen, and can be dragged from one position to another with a normal
move operation.
The first button of the taskbar, labelled "Start" sends a "Popup
StartMenu" command to the fvwm, which can be used to pop-up a general-
purpose menu when the button is pressed.
The FvwmTaskBar also displays at the right side a window showing the
current time and the built-in incoming mail indicator.
COPYRIGHTS
The FvwmTaskBar module is derived from Mike Finger’s FvwmWinList.
Copyright 1994, Mike Finger. The author makes no guarantees or
warranties of any kind about the use of this module. Use this module
at your own risk. You may freely use this module or any portion of it
for any purpose as long as the copyright is kept intact.
INITIALIZATION
During initialization, FvwmTaskBar gets configuration information from
fvwm to find the options that pertain to it. These options are
discussed in a later section.
INVOCATION
FvwmTaskBar can be invoked by fvwm during initialization by inserting
the line ’Module FvwmTaskBar’ in the .fvwm2rc file.
FvwmTaskBar must reside in a directory that is listed in the ModulePath
option of fvwm for it to be executed by fvwm.
CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
The following options can be placed in the .fvwm2rc file
*FvwmTaskBar: Geometry {+-}<X>{+-}<Y>
Specifies the location and gravity of the FvwmTaskBar window.
Currently, this option is scanned as a normal X geometry string.
You can include the width and the height in addition to the "x"
and "y" offset. However, only the "x" and "y" offset are used.
To avoid possible future compatibility problems, only code the
"x" and "y" offset.
The actual width of the taskbar is always the full width of the
screen and the height is controlled by the *FvwmTaskBar: Rows
option.
If the AutoStick option is specified, the taskbar automatically
"sticks" to the top or the bottom of the screen, whichever is
closest to the geometry specification.
To position the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, use a
geometry of "+0-0".
*FvwmTaskBar: Rows r
Specifies the initial number in rows of the FvwmTaskBar window.
Default is 1 and the maximum is 8.
*FvwmTaskBar: Font font
Specifies the default font to be used for labeling the buttons,
when they are not depressed. If not specified, fixed font is
assumed.
*FvwmTaskBar: SelFont font
Specifies the font to be used for the depressed buttons. Note
that the Start button will always use this font even if is not
pressed. If this option is not specified, the default font is
used instead.
*FvwmTaskBar: StatusFont font
Specifies the font to be used for the clock and tip windows. If
this option is not specified, fixed font is used.
*FvwmTaskBar: Fore color
Specifies the color to use for the button names.
*FvwmTaskBar: Back color
Specifies the background color for the bar and buttons.
*FvwmTaskBar: Colorset colorset
Tells the module to use colorset colorset for the window
background and the foreground color of the buttons. Please
refer to the man page of the FvwmTheme module for details about
colorsets.
*FvwmTaskBar: IconFore color
Specifies the color to use for the button names which represent
iconified windows.
*FvwmTaskBar: IconBack color
Specifies the color to use for the buttons which represent
iconified windows.
*FvwmTaskBar: IconColorset colorset
Tells the module to use colorset colorset for the buttons of
iconified windows. Please refer to the man page of the
FvwmTheme module for details about colorsets.
*FvwmTaskBar: FocusFore color
Specifies the color to use for the button which represents the
window with the focus. If not specified the color specified by
*FvwmTaskBar: Fore or *FvwmTaskBar: Colorset is used.
*FvwmTaskBar: FocusBack color
Specifies the color to use for the button which represents the
window with the focus. If not specified the color specified by
*FvwmTaskBar: Back or *FvwmTaskBar: Colorset is used. Note that
the button which represents the window with the focus is also
highlighted. See "*FvwmTaskBar: NoBrightFocus".
*FvwmTaskBar: FocusColorset colorset
Tells the module to use colorset colorset for the button which
represents the window with the focus. Please refer to the man
page of the FvwmTheme module for details about colorsets.
*FvwmTaskBar: NoBrightFocus
By default the button which represents the window with the focus
is highlighted. This option disables this feature. Note: you
will want this option if you use a pixmap (via FvwmTheme) for
the background.
*FvwmTaskBar: TipsFore color
Specifies the color to be used for the text in the tips windows.
*FvwmTaskBar: TipsBack color
Specifies the background color for the tips windows.
*FvwmTaskBar: TipsColorset colorset
Tells the module to use colorset colorset for the tips windows.
Please refer to the man page of the FvwmTheme module for details
about colorsets.
*FvwmTaskBar: AutoStick
This option causes the taskbar to "stick" either to the top or
bottom of the screen, whichever is closest to the initial window
placement. Any further move operation is also subject to that
behavior.
*FvwmTaskBar: AutoFocus
This option causes the taskbar to raise a window if the cursor
stays on a button in taskbar and its tip is open.
*FvwmTaskBar: AutoHide [pixels]
This option causes the taskbar to disappear leaving a narrow
strip at the bottom of the screen, and reappear only when the
mouse is moved to that strip. This option automatically enables
AutoStick. The optional pixels parameter specifies thickness of
a strip (3 pixels by default).
*FvwmTaskBar: UseSkipList
Tells FvwmTaskBar to not show the windows that are listed on a
WindowListSkip line in the configuration file.
*FvwmTaskBar: DeskOnly
Tells FvwmTaskBar to show only windows that are on the current
desktop. When desktops are switched, the list of windows
changes accordingly.
*FvwmTaskBar: PageOnly
Tells FvwmTaskBar to show only windows that are on the same page
as the task bar. When a window enters or leaves the page, the
list of windows changes accordingly.
*FvwmTaskBar: ScreenOnly
Tells FvwmTaskBar to show only windows that are only on the same
Xinerama screen as the task bar. When a window enters or leaves
the screen, the list of windows changes accordingly.
*FvwmTaskBar: UseIconNames
Tells FvwmTaskBar to use the icon name of the window instead of
the full window name. This is useful to keep the width of the
buttons small.
*FvwmTaskBar: ShowTransients
Tells FvwmTaskBar to show the application transient windows
also. By default they are not shown.
*FvwmTaskBar: Action action response
Tells FvwmTaskBar to do response when action is done. The
currently supported actions are: Click1, Click2, Click3 and so
on. By default the module supports 5 mouse buttons, but it can
be compiled to support more. The currently supported responses
are any fvwm built-in commands, including modules and functions.
Warning: Use of the former syntax that allowed to use comma
separated lists of commands is strongly discouraged due to
synchronization problems with fvwm. Please use complex fvwm
functions instead (defined with the AddToFunc command of fvwm).
In the response part, you can use a number of predefined
variables: $left, $right, $top and $bottom are substituted by
the left, right, top and bottom coordinates of the button
pressed. $-left, $-right, $-top and $-bottom are substituted
likewise, but the coordinates are calculated from the bottom or
the right edge of the screen instead (for a button that is 5
pixels away from the right screen border, $-right will be 5).
$width and $height are replaced by the width or height of the
button. All this is done regardless of any quoting characters.
To get a literal ’$’ use the string ’$$’.
*FvwmTaskBar: Button Title title, Icon icon, Action action
Tells FvwmTaskBar to put a shortcut minibutton in the taskbar
that does action when clicked. The icon can have a caption
denoted by title, an icon denoted by icon, or a combination of
the two. The icons will appear to the immediate right of the
start button, and will appear in the order that they are
declared in the .fvwm2rc file.
To invoke different commands for different mouse clicks, use
this syntax:
*FvwmTaskBar: Button Title title, Icon icon, \
Action (Mouse 1) action1, Action (Mouse 2) action2
*FvwmTaskBar: ButtonWidth width
Indicates the maximum width that window buttons should reach.
(the minimum is hard coded at 32).
*FvwmTaskBar: Pad width
Specifies the space (in pixels) between the window buttons. If
this option is not specified, the default space is 3.
*FvwmTaskBar: WindowButtonsLeftMargin margin
Specifies the space (in pixels) between the left side of the
left-most window button and the right side of the start button
or right-most shortcut minibutton. If this option is not
specified, the default margin is 4.
*FvwmTaskBar: WindowButtonsRightMargin margin
Specifies the space (in pixels) between the right side of the
right-most window button and the left side of the clock and tip
window. If this option is not specified, the default margin is
2.
*FvwmTaskBar: StartButtonRightMargin margin
Specifies the space (in pixels) between the right side of the
start button and the left side of the left-most shortcut
minibutton. If this option is not specified, the default margin
is 0.
*FvwmTaskBar: 3DFvwm
By default the buttons use a special (asymmetric) 3D look. This
option enables a more classical 3D look (Ie., a la fvwm).
*FvwmTaskBar: HighlightFocus
If the mouse pointer is over the taskbar, the window under the
current button is active. This behavior is like the TVTWM Icon
Manager or FvwmIconMan. Note: If you use this option combined
with FollowMouse focus style, you’ll want the taskbar to be
ClickToFocus.
*FvwmTaskBar: ShowTips
Enables the tips windows (by default disabled).
*FvwmTaskBar: NoIconAction action
Tells FvwmTaskBar to do action is when a NoIcon style window is
iconified or de-iconified. Relevant coordinates are appended to
action so that the icon can be traced to an FvwmTaskBar button.
An example action is "*FvwmTaskBar: NoIconAction SendToModule
FvwmAnimate animate". A blank or null action turns this feature
off.
The following options deal more specifically with the status indicators
displayed at the right of the taskbar.
*FvwmTaskBar: ClockFormat format-string
This option specifies the time format for the digital clock. It
is a strftime(3) compatible format string. By default it is
"%R". There is a 24 character limit for string expansion. The
string depends of locale settings.
*FvwmTaskBar: DateFormat format-string
This option specifies the date and/or time format for clock tip.
It is a strftime(3) compatible format string. By default it is
"%A, %B %d, %Y". There is 40 characters limit for string
expansion. The string depends of locale settings now.
*FvwmTaskBar: UpdateInterval seconds
Specifies how often the clock display should be refreshed, so
that times of the form HH:MM:SS can be used. By default 60
seconds.
*FvwmTaskBar: BellVolume volume
This sets the volume of the bell when mail is detected. It is a
value between 0 (no bell) and 100 (maximum volume). By default
it is set to 20.
*FvwmTaskBar: MailBox path
This option instructs the module to look for mail at the
specified place. It is a full pathname to the user’s mailbox.
By default it is /var/spool/mail/$USER_LOGIN. A value of ’None’
instructs the module not to have a mail indicator.
*FvwmTaskBar: MailDir
By default format of the user’s mailbox is mbox. If this option
is specified, the maildir format is used instead.
*FvwmTaskBar: MailCommand command
Specifies a fvwm command to be executed when double-clicking on
the mail icon.
*FvwmTaskBar: MailCheck seconds
Specifies the interval between checks for new mail. The default
is ten seconds. A value of zero or less switches mail checking
off.
Note, this value is only relable when greater than the
UpdateInterval value. The mail check is done either on any
redraw (like a focus change) or every nearest factor of the
UpdateInterval value.
*FvwmTaskBar: IgnoreOldMail
If set, draw no bitmap if there is no new mail.
The following options deal with the Start button at the left of the
taskbar:
*FvwmTaskBar: StartCommand command
This option specifies a command to run when the start button is
pressed. Some strings are replaced in the command when it is
executed like for the other buttons. See Action for details.
If both, StartCommand and StartMenu have been defined, the
command is executed first and the menu is opened afterwards.
The StartCommand can be used to exactly place a menu atop a
button.
*FvwmTaskBar: StartCommand Popup StartMenu rectangle \
$widthx$height+$left+$top 0 -100m
To invoke different commands for different mouse clicks, use
this syntax:
*FvwmTaskBar: StartCommand (Mouse 1) Popup Mouse1Menu
*FvwmTaskBar: StartCommand (Mouse 3) Popup Mouse3Menu
*FvwmTaskBar: StartName string
This option specifies the string displayed in the Start button.
(’Start’ by default). If the string is omitted no string is
displayed.
*FvwmTaskBar: StartMenu string
This option specifies the pop up menu to invoke when the start
button is pressed. (’StartMenu’ by default). The module send a
’Popup StartMenu’ command to the fvwm window manager.
To invoke different menus for different mouse clicks, use this
syntax:
*FvwmTaskBar: StartMenu (Mouse 1) Mouse1Menu
*FvwmTaskBar: StartMenu (Mouse 3) Mouse3Menu
*FvwmTaskBar: StartIcon icon-name
This option specifies the name of the icon to display at the
left of the Start button.
*FvwmTaskBar: NoDefaultStartButton
This option removes the default start button if no start button
configuration options are given. It is useful to remove the
start button. Note that this is the default if you use the
Button configuration option.
SAMPLE CONFIGURATION
The following are excerpts from a .fvwm2rc file which describe
FvwmTaskBar initialization commands:
#
# Start the taskbar on fvwm startup and restart
#
AddToFunc "StartFunction" "I" Module FvwmTaskBar
#
# For Click 1 action
#
AddToFunc DeiconifyRaiseAndFocus
+ I Iconify off
+ I Raise
+ I Focus
#
# Set the style for the taskbar window, keep always on top of another
# windows
#
Style "FvwmTaskBar" NoTitle,BorderWidth 4, HandleWidth 4,Sticky,\
StaysOnTop,WindowListSkip,CirculateSkip
#------------------------------------ taskbar
*FvwmTaskBar: Back #c3c3c3
*FvwmTaskBar: Fore black
*FvwmTaskBar: TipsBack bisque
*FvwmTaskBar: TipsFore black
*FvwmTaskBar: Geometry +0-0
*FvwmTaskBar: Font -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
*FvwmTaskBar: SelFont -adobe-helvetica-bold-r-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
*FvwmTaskBar: StatusFont fixed
*FvwmTaskBar: Action Click1 DeiconifyRaiseAndFocus
*FvwmTaskBar: Action Click2 Iconify On
*FvwmTaskBar: Action Click3 Lower
*FvwmTaskBar: UseSkipList
*FvwmTaskBar: UseIconNames
*FvwmTaskBar: AutoStick
*FvwmTaskBar: ShowTips
*FvwmTaskBar: NoIconAction SendToModule FvwmAnimate animate
*FvwmTaskBar: ButtonWidth 180
*FvwmTaskBar: BellVolume 20
*FvwmTaskBar: MailBox /var/spool/mail/
*FvwmTaskBar: MailCommand Exec xterm -e mail
*FvwmTaskBar: ClockFormat %I:%M %p
*FvwmTaskBar: StartName Start
*FvwmTaskBar: StartMenu StartMenu
*FvwmTaskBar: StartIcon mini-exp.xpm
*FvwmTaskBar: Button Title Mozilla, Action exec exec /usr/local/mozilla/mozilla
*FvwmTaskBar: Button Icon mini.term.xpm, Action exec exec xterm
*FvwmTaskBar: Button Title Freeamp, Icon mini.cd.xpm, Action exec exec freeamp
BUGS
There is a bug report that FvwmTaskBar doesn’t work well with auto hide
turned on.
AUTHOR
David Barth <barth@di.epfl.ch>
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
These people have contributed to FvwmTaskBar:
Danny Dulai <nirva@ishiboo.com>
fvwm workers <fvwm-workers@fvwm.org>