Re: matchbox 0.9.x questions, debian

Hi;

on Tue, Feb 15, 2005 at 11:08:42PM -0500, Paul Fox wrote:
> i've finally had a chance to install the 0.9.2 matchbox from
> debian sarge.  (i was the one who noticed that the last release
> was built standalone, without theming.  the current debian stuff
> is fine in that regard, of course -- thanks moray.)
> 

Cool :)

> i don't necessarily think these are debian related, and they're
> probably not even 0.9.x related, but i have some questions...
> 
>     - mb-applet-xterm-wrapper.sh, referenced in
> 	mb-launcher-term.desktop, seems to be missing.
> 

Hmm, sounds like a debian packaging bug ?

>     - there used to be a popup menu from the panel that let you
> 	add and subtract the panel apps.  i can add panel apps
> 	via the Utilities->Panel menu, and move them around via
> 	the DesktopPrefernces->PanelManager, but i can't figure
> 	out how to remove them from the panel (if i add too many
> 	clocks, for instance).

You should be to click and hold ( urg ) for a second on the panel and
the menu will pop up ?

> 
>     - the only way i know of to customize the panel is to put my
> 	changes in ~/.matchbox/mbdock.session.  and the only way
> 	to make them really "sticky" is to keep a "golden" copy
> 	of this and copy it into place every time the system boots.
> 	i usually want to start from a clean slate.  is there a
> 	better way to "permanently" control what's on the panel?

See matchbox-panel --help, you can set default apps for empy panel,
turn on/off sessioning etc.

> 
>     - if i want to define custom menus for myself, what's the
> 	preferred way to do this?  in the past i've used files in
> 	/usr/lib/menu, but that seems to be a sort of debian
> 	"addon" to matchbox.  and, i can't figure out how to
> 	override /usr/lib/menu files with my own definitions in
> 	~/.menu, if they conflict, i.e, have the same name.
> 	should i be writing my own .desktop files?  the system
> 	.desktop versions are really cumbersome to copy and edit,
> 	given their binary-character nature.  the multi-file
> 	approach to this kind of config is great for distributions,
> 	and for those that write apps, but for a user who's
> 	trying to design a menu tree, with some custom entries,
> 	it's the pits.

Id avoid debian style /usr/lib/menu ( I thought that was getting
depreciated for .desktop files anyway? ) and use .desktop files - not
that cumberson with copy and paste :)

> 
>     - is there a way to "white out" menu entries?  i.e., can i
> 	prevent a .desktop entry from /usr/share/applications from
> 	appearing, by putting something into ~/.applications?
> 

Apart from deleting it from /usr/share/applications, not really.

  -- Matthew

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