PuppyLinux : WbarInstall

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HomePage > ComponentHowTo Components and HowTos > GuiIndex GUI

What follows is a collection of guides & tips from various threads/posts
in an effort to bring them all together in one place.

To install Wbar

Download BOTH of these pets:
imlib2-1.4.0.pet
patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet

Please Note:
If you are using a newer Puppy version (for example: Lupu),
use this pet instead of the one above.
imlib2-1.4.2.pet

Then install them simply by single clicking on them (Left mouse button),
install imlib2-1.4.0.pet first (or imlib2-1.4.2.pet if using a newer Puppy),
then patched-wbar-1.3.3.pet

When installing the second .pet, a browser window will open Wbar Instructions & Tips,
you will need to close this window to allow the install to continue.
You can open that window again at any time by navigating to: /usr/doc/wbar/Wbar_Install_Readme.html,
there are a couple of other files to read in the same directory.

When the install of both .pets is complete, you will need to edit this file: /root/.xinitrc
please note that this is a hidden file so you need to click on the "Eye" icon in ROX-Filer.
Right click on /root/.xinitrc and select: Open As Text,
now scroll to the bottom of the file and find the part that looks something like this:

You now need to add your wbar "Launch Command" Immediately above where it say's: #exec $CURRENTWM

Exactly what command you enter here will depend how you want to run your wbar,
i will give you an example for you to start with, just change things to suit your own needs. (refer to the files in /usr/doc/wbar)

Note that this is for running the wbar at the BOTTOM of the screen, if you want it at the top,
change -pos bottom to -pos top
The -offset 30 is the distance (in pixels)
that the wbar will be offset from either the top or bottom of the screen.
You may also need to increase the sleep period from 3 seconds,
that is more trial & error until you find what works.



So now the bottom of your /root/.xinitrc file
will look like this:

The reason we put this "Launch Command" in this file, is so that wbar gets launched automatically at each bootup.


The actual wbar configuration file is at: /root/.wbar (another hidden file),
again right click and select: Open As Text

At the top you will see this block

you can ignore that, as i left it there to quickly change font.

It is the rest of the file down that is important.
This first block:

is where you set the wbar background image
and font & font size.

I included 3 fonts in this directory: /usr/share/wbar/wbar.icons

• Starcraft Normal.ttf

• Creampuff.ttf

• VeraBd.ttf

But you can use whatever font you desire.
That directory also contains the icons, but you can use any icons you like.

All of the other blocks below that one are for each launcher on the wbar,
they all have the same configuration

i: = the path to the icon to be used.
c: = the command to run, or path to executable file.
t: = the text that is displayed beneath the icon


So now all that is left, is to get the wbar fired up,
you need to restart the X server (from the Shutdown section in the Menu)

Please Note:
Any changes that you make to the configuration file ( /root/.wbar),
will require you to restart the X server in order to see those changes.


EDIT 1:

Launching an application via Wine.

If you happen to be running wine,
you can launch windows apps with something like the following:

The important part is to surround the path to the .exe file with double quotes.

EDIT 2:

Tip for JWM users

If you are using JWM (default in Puppy) then the wbar may open in a window (see attached image)
you will notice this window in the taskbar.


That is not the behaviour that you want, so to stop it doing this you need to edit the /etc/xdg/templates/_root_.jwmrc file. (Thanks to Kal for the reminder)

Right click on that file and select: Open As Text
Scroll down a bit, and you will see this lot (or something very similar)

Copy and Paste this:

after the last one in the block shown above.
Save your changes then open a Console/Terminal
and enter the following command:

Note:
Some of the newer Puppies have a Menu entry for fixmenus
if yours does, just use that instead of the above command.

Now Restart X server, from the Menu: Shutdown > Restart X server

wbar should now start without being in a window.

EDIT 3:

How to open a directory from wbar.

Wbar does not by default open directories, but there is a workaround,
just create a little script.

I will use an example.

I have a directory: /root/dudesdata i would like to open from the wbar,
this is what i did:

1.
Created a new text file (Using a Text Editor: Geany, Leafpad, whatever)
and added the following to it:

I then saved it as: /usr/local/bin/dudefiles
i then navigated to: /usr/local/bin and right clicked on the file: dudefiles
from the popout menu i selected Permissions then clicked on Yes.
This has just made the file dudefiles executable.

2.
Make an appropriate entry in the /root/.wbar file.
Something like this:

Save your changes, then restart the X server.
You should now be able to click on an icon on the wbar
and go straight into your chosen directory.

EDIT 4:

Positioning of the wbar.

Here are a couple of images to help you choose the right switches.





In all of the above scenarios, if you are using a wbar that supports the -offset switch,
then you can use that to fine tune the final position of the wbar.


Links:

Wbar Configuration Centre - v 07

You can find more information in this thread: Wbar: a fancy launchbar (using Imlib2)

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• [History]
• 2011-10-08 11:09:50
• Owner: CrustyLobster
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