Xfce Forum

helis

Member

Registered: 2019-06-03

Posts: 5

Configure panel items for all users

Hi.

I need the "keyboard layout" item to be visible on the panel for all users in the system by default. Currently I have to add it manually each time a new profile is created. Could someone point me in the right direction?

Using the latest version of Mint.

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Can you put the launcher into /etc/skel/.config/xfce4/panel/ from which new accounts are created?

We use fbxkb, which places an icon in the Notification Area.

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MX-23 (based on Debian Stable) with our flagship Xfce 4.18.

helis

Member

Registered: 2019-06-03

Posts: 5

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Thank you for your reply

There's actually no xfce4 directory in /etc/skel/.config/
I can create it manually of course, but I somehow doubt that's the way to do it.

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Yes, you would need to create it manually.

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MX-23 (based on Debian Stable) with our flagship Xfce 4.18.

helis

Member

Registered: 2019-06-03

Posts: 5

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Ah, ok, thanks.

However, as I understand, fbxkb is additional software that needs to be installed. I sure can do that, but isn't there a way just to use the keyboard switcher that's already in the system? More importantly, I may need some additional elements to be added there in the future. I mean, the default panel settings have to be stored somewhere, right? It has the clock, the volume regulator as well as file explorer and terminal launchers, this has to come from somehwere. I expected these settings to be found in the skel directory, but didn't, so I came here

I've looked into .config/xfce4/panel directory of an existing profile, but things didn't become much clearer. It has whiskermenu-1.rc file which is, as I understand, the "Start Menu" (pardon me, I've used Windows too much), and two directories "launcher-4" and "launcher-5" with "<long number>.desktop" files in them. I looked into those files but none of those have any info about the keyboard switcher, only about the icons in "Quick Launch area" (again, pardon me for Windows terms). So I'm a bit confused.

Last edited by helis (2019-06-05 11:39:19)

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Sorry, I gave you the location for my second panel. Let's rewind:

Make sure that on your system that you have installed the panel launcher "Keyboard Layouts" and placed it where you want it to go (e.g., next to the Notification Area), and that the panel layout is otherwise the way you want it for all users. Copy the file ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml and paste it as root to the /etc/skel/ folder; easiest way to do that is usually to navigate to /etc/skel, then right click > Open root Thunar here. Test by creating a new user and see if you have what you are looking for.

Someone else can take over here if I have made a mistake...

BTW: I just mentioned fbxkb because it puts a small icon in the Notification Area, which we found preferable to a large one on the Panel itself.

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MX-23 (based on Debian Stable) with our flagship Xfce 4.18.

helis

Member

Registered: 2019-06-03

Posts: 5

Re: Configure panel items for all users

Sorry for the late response, but that worked, thank you!
I also had to copy the keyboard-layout.xml file to skel, so that the layout switch shortcut remained the same as in the original profile.