--- name: "xfskin" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "xfce" version: "3.8.16-2" release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/xfskin" --- # xfskin(1) ## 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/\/\.xfce** This file contains the various settings this skin makes to XFCE. - **~/xfskins/\/backdrop** In this subdirectory the backdrop (if any) is stored. - **~/xfskins/\/icons** The icons used by this skin are stored here - **~/xfskins/\/sounds** Euh... A subdir to store the sounds used by this skin. - **~/xfskins/\/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 (terveer@subdimension.com) ## SEE ALSO xfce, xfwm