Possible to not use the Panel

advice1010 · 2025-08-29 18:58:56

I was wondering, is it possible to not use/run the XFCE Panel?
This is more of an exercise to see if this is possible, I am aware that the Panel can be hidden which is similar.

The Panel provides many panel plugins which I think with some of them would be the trickiest to achieve the functionality they provide.
Will use just a couple common plugins as example for this post

-Whisker = shame that it is not a standalone application but guess there are other standalone menu applications that could be used, would have to figure out how to set Super key to function the same with different menu, etc.
-Window Buttons / Docklike Taskbar style plugins = Could use Window Switcher dialog
-PulseAudio = so used to using, not sure how audio would be handled without it (meters / device selection / notifications / etc.)?
-Network Manager = not sure how this would be replace?
-Clock = Guess could probably add widget to desktop to replace

Again this is just an exercise / question to see if it is possible, would probably lose too much functionality / used to using it for it to be worth doing, but was just curious.

If anyone has any information regarding solutions for the plugins mentioned above, other items that would be an issue (that I have not mentioned) or just any info/opinions in general, please let me know.

Thank you to anyone who reads this

ToZ · 2025-08-29 20:17:01

It is possible to run Xfce without the panel - Xfce is very modular. Go to Settings Manager > Session and Startup > Current Session and change the restart value for xfce4-panel to 'Never' by clicking on the work 'Immediately'. You can also just quit the panel to see the effect:

xfce4-panel -q

With respect to the plugins:

WhiskerMenu - this requires the panel so it won't work without it. However, xfce4-appfinder is a very capable alternative and you can configure it to kind of look like many other menu launchers, and it will work without the panel (you can bring it up with a keyboard shortcut)
Window Buttons - this also requires the panel to display but you can also middle click the desktop to see the same list.
PulseAudio plugin - this is just an indicator. Pulseaudio (the server) will continue to run and provide you with sounds. Change volume, enabling different inputs/outputs, mpris integration will require other tools or keyboard shortcuts.
network manager (probably nm-applet) - network management will continue to work but if you need to reset or change it you will need to use a tool. You can call the connection editor directly (nm-connection-editor) or use an alternative to NetworkManager like systemd-networkd or iwd for wireless connections.
Clock - yes you'll need to find an alternative for that.

lvsl · 2025-08-30 08:00:03

Very long ago I remember vaguely that you can bring up a menu in X windows by right clicking any blank area in the desktop. It seems to work even for today. You will be heavily relying on that menu if you decide not to have any panels. (Edit: Or if you suddenly erased all panels from existence or cannot locate any of them)

So you might want to use the terminal as much as you can, even best to have the keyboard setting to Cntl-alt-t to open it. Then you can launch anything you want from there by either typing commands, using the menu that you get by right clicking, or putting icons on the desktop for something you use frequently.

For battery remaining you might want fastfetch. For clock display you will want xclock. And for NetworkManager you might want to type in nm-connection-editor to bring up the connection dialog.

I guess that's all I can think of. Should you decide to try using xfce without panel tell us how it went 😛

Last edited by lvsl (2025-08-30 08:08:31)

GlenS · 2025-09-04 05:34:09

Definitely possible.
I have been using a xfce a number of years now without the xfce4-panel.
Using

tint2 as a panel

kupfer as program launcher

plank as a side panel/launcher

volumeicon-alsa as an indicator for pulse

conky on the desktop for system info

Other things I do is hide window titles when maximized (window manager tweaks)
and use easystroke to manipulate windows by mouse gesture linked commands(xdotool and wmctrl)
Just experiment. There's a lot of old apps that still work.

Last edited by GlenS (2025-09-04 05:47:39)

advice1010 · 2025-09-04 20:11:06

(I typed all of this before I saw GlenS recent reply, I will respond to this after)

Thank you guys for the responses.
I actually know of XFCE being modular, I have tried some of these things out in the past/somewhat recently.
Some of the plugins I had solutions for such as the menu and the window buttons but I did not go far enough with this to come up with solutions for some of the other plugins mentioned.

With some of the new information you guys shared, I tried this out again quickly, without really setting anything up though. So used to using certain things it can be a strange feeling not having solutions for some basic functionality smile .....

MENU
If anyone tries this, just remember to make sure you have a hotkey to open some kind of menu, I did not which made things a little tricky smile
Again, shame the Whisker menu is only a plugin, the developer has no interest in making it a standalone application. The Appfinder was going to be my next choice before getting into 3rd party ones.
In the past I had some suggestions I was going to request for the Appfinder but it is kind of difficult to find anyone interested enough to add things to certain XFCE based applications so I never mentioned them.
In the past I used 3rd party application to handle super key capabilities with panel menu, but now with newer XFCE + new internal setting for this available, I eventually have to try setting up the Appfinder to use super key once I upgrade. ToZ shared the information with me on how to achieve this in the past, but could not test that newer XFCE version at the time.

AUDIO
I knew some things worked with audio, such as pavucontrol application. The thing was that I had hotkeys setup to control volume which when I tried them in the past they did not work. When I tried again this time I realized they do work, it was just the notification that was not showing up which threw me off in the past.
Does anyone know if there is an internal XFCE based solution for providing a volume notification dialog? Or is the panel plugin the only thing that provides this?
In one of my other posts user mentioned the 3rd party application,
called avizo. At first he thought it was wayland only but then realized it was also x11. I mentioned to him I ideally would like something more already built into the items I already am using if possible. Do not know if I would want to install a 3rd party application for volume notification.

NETWORK
I think these items you guys mentioned should work

CLOCK
Was not aware of xclock, I realized it actually was already installed. This also made me realize that I forgot to mention time & date/basic calendar solution.
xclock shows time, day and date which could work, but no calendar.
I know of plugin called "orage" which I thought actually might also work as a standalolne application, but I do not think it does. I am sure I can find something if I decide to go this route.

BATTERY
Did not mention battery as well.
Did not realize fastfetch showed battery, I will give it a try.

Something to think about.
Thank you guys again for this information shared, appreciate it.

The last main question I had is the one I mentioned above in the AUDIO section about volume notification dialog, if someone could verify if what I mentioned was true, only available in plugin?

Added later 06 min 25 s:
@GlenS
Thank you, again sorry, I typed my last post before seeing your reply.
Strange, other then Conky, I have never heard of any of these items you have mentioned.
So you are using some kind of a panel though, do not think I have ever heard of tint2 before.
I mentioned more about this in my reply above, but do you have any volume meter notification that shows up on your screen when you adjust/mute your volume?
I have been using that setting as well with the title bar, I like it but it causes issues if windows are taken out of maximized mode.
The bottom portion of that window (often a status bar) goes behind panel because for some reason it then compensates for the added window height of the title/header being added back. The smart window manager also remembers this undesired issues when these applications are opened again in that session. It has been reported but no one cares, no responses.
As mentioned, this as far as I know is only available in XFCE through the PulseAudio panel plugin.

Thanks again for your response

Last edited by advice1010 (2025-09-04 20:33:02)

GlenS · 2025-09-04 23:21:24

volumeicon-alsa is what I use and you can set the osd in preferences to libnotify or gtk popup.
The tray icon also changes with the volume level.
Some other applications I use...gsimplecal and slashtime (java app)
I made a quick video showing what I use in my Xubuntu 24 desktop and uploaded to youtube.
May give you some ideas.
https://youtu.be/6qXI3RYrS-k
Excuse the mumbling and raspy voice...I'm old roll

Last edited by GlenS (2025-09-04 23:28:47)

advice1010 · Yesterday 00:09:24

@GlenS
Ahh you did not need to make a video for this, but thank you for doing so.
Saw some things I will look into.
Thanks again

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#1 2025-08-29 18:58:56

Possible to not use the Panel

#2 2025-08-29 20:17:01

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

#3 2025-08-30 08:00:03

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

#4 2025-09-04 05:34:09

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

#5 2025-09-04 20:11:06

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

#6 2025-09-04 23:21:24

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

#7 Yesterday 00:09:24

Re: Possible to not use the Panel

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