NAME
xfskin, version 0.2.x
SYNOPSYS
xfskin
DESCRIPTION
xfskin is a TCL script to manage skins (or "themes") for xfce.
WORKING
It applies changes read from a skin file directly into the xfce configuration files, than restarts xfwm to commit the changes.
INSTALLING
After starting xfskin for the first time, a directory ~/xfskins is created, where the skins will be stored. To add a downloaded (.tar.gz) skin, use the [file/add] menu to add the downloaded skin. xfskin will extract the skin on the correct location & display it in the list.
CREATING
To create a skin, just press the create button on the main window. When you create a skin, please note that you have to enter at least a title, an author name and one comment line befor it is accepted. When a skin is created, a .tar.gz file of this skin is placed in ~/xfskins, ready for upload.
DELETING
To delete a skin, just press the delete button on the main window. When pressing the delete button in the main window, when there are no themes available, the xfskins directory wil be deleted & recreated, what results in a 'new' installation, but also removes all (.tar.gz) files in the ~/xfskins directory. (so be carefull with that option, you're warned!)
SKINS
Ok, so a skin is a collection of settings that together change the looks of XFCE. A skin does not include menu items or other settings that are system (or user) depending. To see what settings are included in a skin, see section SKINFILE below.
The skins are stored in the xfskins directory in your home. The name of a skin is the name of the directory the settings are stored in. A skin is typically contains the following file & directories:
- ~/xfskins/<skinname>/<skinname>.xfce
-
This file contains the various settings this skin makes to XFCE.
- ~/xfskins/<skinname>/backdrop
-
In this subdirectory the backdrop (if any) is stored.
- ~/xfskins/<skinname>/icons
-
The icons used by this skin are stored here
- ~/xfskins/<skinname>/sounds
-
Euh... A subdir to store the sounds used by this skin.
- ~/xfskins/<skinname>/texture
-
If there's a texture used, it's placed here.
CONVENTIONS
To create a skin standard, there has to be a rule, saying which item on the XFCE panel stands for which application group. Otherwise you could end up with an icon using a Netscape image, pointing to your trashcan. So, to get somewhere i choose to use the 'default' symbols of XFCE as a reference: the internal icons of xfce. From left to right there are the following icons:
- [xftree]
-
files related, starting xftree, or whatever file-browser you like (default xftree)
- [terminal]
-
starts your terminal (default xfterm)
- [mail]
-
starts your mail client or browser (default netscape)
- [editor]
-
starts your text editor (default abiword)
- [calendar]
-
starts your calendar, PIM or whatever (nothing default)
- [games]
-
starts your games (no default)
- [network]
-
opens your network connections
- [graphics]
-
opens your pic editors (xv default)
- [trash]
-
this one is a little odd, it default icon points to sound, while the default app points to xftrash. I choose to use trash as default. (default app: xftrash)
- [printer]
-
opens xfprint by default
- [configuration]
-
opens various configuration applications
- [tools]
-
opens default tools & utilities.
SKINFILE
The skinfile, is a config name with the same name as the skin, using the extension .xfce. It contains the following settings: (not that you'll need them, just for those who want to edit a skin by hand)
- author=
-
well, who made the skin?
- version=
-
with what version of xfskin was it made (for future compatible?)
- comment1=
-
where is it about
- comment2=
-
line 2 for the ones who have a lot to say
- comment3=
-
an extra line for those who have even more to say
- image=
-
the backdrop used in this skin. only the name, paths are added by xfskin
- style=
-
style of the backdrop: stretch, tiled or auto. if omitted, auto is used
- newdesk=
-
sound made when switched to a new desk
- addwin=
-
sound made when a window is added
- raisewin=
-
sound made when a window is raised
- lowerwin=
-
sound made when a window is lowered
- configwin=
-
sound made when a window is configured
- focuschange=
-
sound made when a window focus is changed
- destroywin=
-
sound made when a window is closed
- iconify=
-
sound made when a window is iconified
- de-iconify=
-
sound made when a window is de-iconified
- shade=
-
sound made when a window is shaded
- un-shade=
-
sound made when a window is un-shaded
- maximize=
-
sound made when a window is maximized
- de-maximize=
-
sound made when a window is de-maximized
- startup=
-
sound made on xfce startup
- shutdown=
-
sound made on xfce shutdown
- unknown=
-
sound made on unknown events
- files-icon=
-
icon nr 1 on the XFCE bar, left to right, assuming 12 popups. (see CONVENTIONS section above for explanation)
- term-icon=
-
icon nr 2 on the XFCE bar
- browse-icon=
-
icon nr 3 on the XFCE bar
- edit-icon=
-
icon nr 4 on the XFCE bar
- sched-icon=
-
icon nr 5 on the XFCE bar
- games-icon=
-
icon nr 6 on the XFCE bar
- net-icon=
-
icon nr 7 on the XFCE bar
- graph-icon=
-
icon nr 8 on the XFCE bar
- trash-icon=
-
icon nr 9 on the XFCE bar
- print-icon=
-
icon nr 10 on the XFCE bar
- config-icon=
-
icon nr 11 on the XFCE bar
- utils-icon=
-
icon nr 12 on the XFCE bar
- help-icon=
-
Help icon (right most) on the XFCE bar
- clocktype=
-
Display an analog or digital clock. Analog is default.
- 24h=
-
Display the clock in military mode. Defaults to yes.
- menufont=
-
Font used for the root menus.
- iconfont=
-
Font used for the icons.
- titlefont=
-
Font used for window titles.
- active-gradient=
-
Use a gradient on active window (only Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes
- inactive-gradient=
-
Use a gradient on inactive window (only Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes
- mouse=
-
color of the mouse pointer
- statusbar=
-
color of gtk status-bars
- clock=
-
color of the clock & xfce buttons (also 3rd desktop, when not using a backdrop)
- inactiveleft=
-
left color of inactive window, when usng gradient titlebars.
- root=
-
color of the first desktop, also used as selection color
- activeright=
-
right color of the active window. Also the color of the second desktop.
- activeleft=
-
left color of the active window.
- panel=
-
color of the xfce panel, border etc.
- engine=
-
used theme engine (on the Panel tab of the Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE
- win-engine=
-
used window border style (on the Window tab of the Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE
- font=
-
Default font
- texture=
-
Used texture.
BUGS
One of the 'bugs' i now know of, is that the XFCE panel sometimes doesn't show up when switching to a skin without a backdrop, for example the empty skin. Just restart xfwm (using the root menu) to have a work-around.
author
H.R. ter Veer ([email protected])
SEE ALSO
xfce, xfwm