scriptable desktop UI, is it possible?

[Mike Massonnet]

Le Sat, 7 Feb 2009 09:01:45 -0800,
Xiong Jiang <linuster at gmail.com> a écrit :

> Do I need to restart xfce and lose my open applications after untar a
> different config in ~/.config/xfce4?

Please bottom post (at least don't mix up).  Yeah, when you want to
restore a backup you have to do it while the program isn't running.
There are only few apps that support modifying the configuration file
while the program is running.

You could run, for instance for xfce4-panel, the following commands:
1- xfce4-panel --exit
2- restore the backup
3- xfce4-panel &

Mike
> 
> On Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 6:52 AM, Mike Massonnet <mmassonnet at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Le Sat, 7 Feb 2009 00:34:12 -0800,
> > Xiong Jiang <linuster at gmail.com> a écrit :
> >
> >> XFCE is my top desktop UI choice and it may be the best candidate
> >> for the following idea, which is my wish, not to be considered as
> >> feature requests.
> >>
> >> I am tired of tweaking my desktop UI: whatever I tried, I want to
> >> try something new, and unable to save what I have tried except for
> >> saving a screen shot, and unable to easily use it again. So I am
> >> wondering if anyone would or have bothered to create a
> >> programmable UI through perl/python/ruby/java/bash/whatever script.
> >
> > The configuration is saved to ~/.config/xfce4 mostly, there might be
> > other softwares saving directly under ~/.config.
> > Just tar what you need to a backup directory so that later you can
> > replace your current configuration.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >> By using such script, you can save your UI setup easily, and pick
> >> it up again any time in future. You can set up your customization
> >> on a new installation easily, just by running the script, and you
> >> can create a menu to switch between different setup by just one
> >> click.
> >>
> >> Sounds cool enough? And more, you can design your own desktop UI
> >> and your own experience by just writing some script.
> >>
> >> Well, I actually want to try some desktop UI like this, let me
> >> name it as # desktop environment, or #DE, if name matters:
> >>
> >> The goal is to access and switch between opened or favorite
> >> applications or documents, and the desktop root window, quickly.
> >>
> >> - Desktop screen is divided to 3x3 blocks, numbered 1-9, as the
> >> layout of the numpad on PC-104 keyboard.
> >>
> >> - Each block contains icons that serve as represent either
> >> applications or documents shortcuts. To stay organized, user can
> >> put shortcuts belongs to similar category or task in same block.
> >>
> >> - When an application is launched, the window manager saves
> >> information about which block it is launched from.
> >>
> >> - Hot keys, such as numpad keys can be used to switch between
> >> opened windows, for example:
> >>
> >>  Press 1 and switch to the window that was launched from block 1.
> >> If there are multiple such windows, press 1 again will bring the
> >> next window in the list to top.
> >>  Press numpad 0 to "expose" the desktop window, showing all the
> >> icons and thumbnails in each block.
> >>
> >>  The other keys on numpad are also very useful. + - * / on numpad
> >> could be used to maxmize / minimize / dock-to-right / dock-to-left
> >> the current top window.
> >> . can pop up a menu.
> >>
> >> - If user doesn't like numpad keys, other hotkeys such as ALT-1..9
> >> can be used instead.
> >>
> >> - Mice operation is somehow so limited, but mid-button can be used
> >> to "expose" all windows,
> >>
> >> Well the whole story is that if the UI is programmable through
> >> scripts, the above is just one of the many interesting things for
> >> experiment, and we can make much better improved / customized UI
> >> design very quickly. Linux distros can pick up some popular or
> >> typical ones as the default desktop setup. Is it fun!
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> >
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