Xfdashboard feature proposal

damlys · 2019-01-20 02:16:07

Good morning!

I'm writing here because I have some idea about Xfdashboard. It would be lovely to launch some application placed in "quicklaunch" with CLI command. E.g.

$ xfdashboard --quicklaunch 1 # to run/focus first application on the quicklaunch list
$ xfdashboard --quicklaunch 2 # to run/focus second application on the quicklaunch list etc.

Maybe is there somewhere such feature? I didn't found it within command help.

My motivation is being able to add these commands to keyboards shortcuts. Currently I'm using Super+Escape shortcut with `xfdashboard --toggle` command and it works perfectly!

I think commands described above should work from xfdashboard as well as from desktop to allow users use this feature comfortably.

I am wondering what do you think? Would it be useful for somebody except me?

Skaperen · 2019-01-20 03:22:56

so, basically you want to be able to configure some hotkey to launch the Nth application from the list without specifically knowing (in the perspective of configuring hotkeys) what it is (although from a user perspective, you might know exactly what it is). for example you might want to have Alt+Fn launch application n. that, or you want to have the hotkeys change tracking changes in the quicklaunch list.

ozjd · 2019-01-20 05:43:05

The devs rarely visit here so the best thing is to open an enhancement request bug at https://bugzilla.xfce.org/. You ca also post to the mailing list and discuss it with the devs there.

damlys · 2019-01-20 09:39:34

Skaperen wrote:

so, basically you want to be able to configure some hotkey to launch the Nth application from the list without specifically knowing (in the perspective of configuring hotkeys) what it is (although from a user perspective, you might know exactly what it is). for example you might want to have Alt+Fn launch application n. that, or you want to have the hotkeys change tracking changes in the quicklaunch list.

Yes, exactly tongue

ozjd wrote:

The devs rarely visit here so the best thing is to open an enhancement request bug at https://bugzilla.xfce.org/. You ca also post to the mailing list and discuss it with the devs there.

Ok, thanks. I will do that smile

Skaperen · 2019-01-20 19:49:36

if the quicklaunch list is readable somewhere, it could also be an independent command that can be made to launch the selected app. i have been finding that Xfce configs are in readable files of various formats.

when/where you refer to "Xfdashboard" do you mean Xfce itself or some other distinct package?

i did find a package called "xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin". i am wondering if that is what you mean. if so, maybe i can install that and check it out. if not, maybe you can look in your file space and see if you can find the the file where this quicklaunch list is kept. you could do rgrep -l on 2 or more app names to find it. then maybe i can make a cli command to read the file, select the app or command line, and run it to launch that app. python has tools for reading many formats.

Last edited by Skaperen (2019-01-20 19:51:37)

damlys · 2019-01-21 18:38:34

I prefer keyboard shortcuts over panel items tongue

In such situation I prefer to use `wmctrl -xa firefox` command than parse xfdashboard config files.

Btw. I have added bugzilla task (https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15067). We will see the response smile

Skaperen · 2019-01-21 19:54:43

when you configure a keyboard shortcut (which i call hotkeys) it runs a command you choose. you are wanting to have an option available in the xfdashboard command so that it can be run when you press that key, and it will then obtain the command to run the application and actually run it. i don't know if they will do this. maybe they don't to do it because of "feature-creep". but if the list of applications is stored in a simple format (ini, json, xml, etc.) then making a new command to do this would be simple. i'll call this "app-selector" then you would configure your hotkey for the 2nd application to do the command "app-selector 2" or "/usr/local/bin/app-selector 2".

damlys · 2019-01-25 08:51:26

Xdashboard team decided to not implement this feature hmm I'm going to stay with my current solution (`wmctrl -xa firefox || firefox`), but thanks for your responses smile

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#1 2019-01-20 02:16:07

Xfdashboard feature proposal

#2 2019-01-20 03:22:56

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#3 2019-01-20 05:43:05

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#4 2019-01-20 09:39:34

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#5 2019-01-20 19:49:36

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#6 2019-01-21 18:38:34

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#7 2019-01-21 19:54:43

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

#8 2019-01-25 08:51:26

Re: Xfdashboard feature proposal

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