How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

hammered999 · 2011-08-24 01:23:29

Let's say that I want to develop yet another file manager. Let's also assume that I really like the Xfce DE and that I want to integrate my new file manager that it will totally replace Thunar.
Is this possible?
Does the Xfce desktop provide APIs/config files for this?
How tight can the integration be?
Where do I start?

Nick · 2011-08-24 07:34:12

Xfce is very modular, so even Thunar isn't integrated _that_ much (since gio is in glib). Basically everything that relies on Thunar is in the Thunar package, except for xfdesktop and some extensions of course.

The other way around it that Thunar uses some Xfce libraries to match some ui elements and share complicated code with other parts of the desktop.

hammered999 · 2011-09-01 02:50:12

ok. Basically what I am asking is how can someone "register" a 3rd party filemanager with Xfce? By "register" I mean this: When something under Xfce(or Xfce itself) requests/needs a file manager xfce automatically will launch the 3rd party manager instead of thunar.

Can this functionality be achieved by the current state/API of Xfce? If yes, can you point me to the right direction?

jannis · 2011-09-01 07:48:13

Change your preferred file manager to something else in the "Preferred Applications" dialog. Everything should then open that file manager (except for xfdesktop which uses D-Bus to open Thunar windows etc.).

hammered999 · 2011-09-03 18:41:57

jannis wrote:

Change your preferred file manager to something else in the "Preferred Applications" dialog. Everything should then open that file manager (except for xfdesktop which uses D-Bus to open Thunar windows etc.).

(read the bold part). That's what I am talking when I say "intergration" or "registration". eg for xfdesktop: Is it hardcoded to look for Thunar? Or is there a D-bus API that a file manager can use to tell xfdesktop "use me instead of thunar for X task, and call me with this command line/or call this D-bus method of mine."?

Of course the question applies to every other part of xfce that uses thunar to manages files.

Anzhr · 2011-09-05 21:09:59

Well, from what I've read, Thunar will manage the desktop (as Nautilus does) in 4.10. So it's going to be difficult to do what you want going forward but not impossible.

Perhaps you might do better using a WM like Fluxbox or Openbox instead of a DE.

hammered999 · 2011-09-05 22:42:51

Well I am not interested in that part. I'm interested in every part that "wants" a file manager to display a certain path. Eg in 4.10 it should be possible for thunar to manage the desktop, but when a user wants to open a folder on the desktop the folder should open in a 3rd party file manager and not in thunar.

jannis · 2011-09-06 08:24:12

1) Any file manager that implements http://git.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/tree/th … -infos.xml can be used from xfdesktop.

2) If, in 4.10, Thunar will manage the desktop then you will of course have an option to disable this. Also, the desktop implementation will be written as a plugin which means you can replace it with another implementation; the user will be presented with a list of all plugins and will probably be able to select the plugin to use per-monitor. I haven't decided yt whether the default plugin will be Thunar-only or whether communication with Thunar will be based on the D-Bus API once again. The latter probably makes sense as otherwise we'd have to add tons of functions to Thunarx.

daniel227 · 2012-07-30 13:16:16

is it ok to still enquire about this?
i also would like for xfdesktop to use another file manager. i'm not so happy with thunar, but xfdesktop is just fine.
the link given by jannis - erm, it's a bit over my head.
i have been playing with d-bus-messages once, wasn't too difficult once you know the exact syntax (some global hotkeys for audio volume iirc) - so if it's sth along those lines, i'll be happy and thankful for any kind of help!
i'm using xubuntu 11.10.

[oh and i'm very sorry for kind-of-doubleposting because i already started my own thread on this. please don't hit me.]

Last edited by daniel227 (2012-07-30 13:16:53)

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#1 2011-08-24 01:23:29

How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#2 2011-08-24 07:34:12

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#3 2011-09-01 02:50:12

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#4 2011-09-01 07:48:13

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#5 2011-09-03 18:41:57

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#6 2011-09-05 21:09:59

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#7 2011-09-05 22:42:51

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#8 2011-09-06 08:24:12

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

#9 2012-07-30 13:16:16

Re: How easy is it to intergrate a new filemanager with the rest of Xfce?

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