[REQUEST] Minimize Windows into Desktop Icons

[Brian J. Tarricone]

houston92 wrote:

>>-- Marek Turnovec <mat.konference at medik.cz> wrote
>>    
>>
>>>You want icons on desktop for minimized programs, or icons as
>>>launcher for something? As far as I remebmer, XFCE3 didn't have
>>>icons for launch something on desktop. Only thing that XFCE3 had
>>>was a ability to minimize running apps on desktop. This
>>>functionality is still there, you can choose if you like taskbar
>>>or icons - just look at the settings panel - I'm not at my XFCE
>>>box at the moment...
>>>      
>>>
>I did not think this was written in xfce4.  I do not see the option to 
>minimize applications to the desktop in any of the settings.  Where 
>is this option?
>
no, it's not.  there's something somwhat similar, the iconbox.  it's 
just a self-growing/shrinking window that can hold icons for apps 
(there's an option for whether it keeps icons for all apps, or just 
minimised apps).  basically it's a self-resising taskbar with no text.  
not really a substitue for true minimise-to-desktop, but it's there 
nonetheless.

i've said it before, and i'll say it again - support for 
minimise-to-desktop is planned for xfdesktop, but, at present, it's 
going to rely on someone else who wants it enough, and has the requisite 
skills, to write it an submit a patch.  i'm working on menu-related 
stuff, and i'm not willing to tackle the icon issue until my current 
work is finished.

what i would like to see in this funtionality:
- option to minimise apps to desktop
-- option to show all minimised apps
-- option to show only minimised apps in current workspace
- option to add launchers/files/etc to the desktop
in my eyes, the launcher/file stuff isn't actually an option, but is 
there all the time.  you "disable" this feature by simply not putting 
any icons on the desktop.  launchers should be .desktop files (which 
will be handled specially), and files will just be files.  the 
application minimisation must be an on/off option (i personally don't 
like it all that much, so i'm certainly not committing a patch that 
doesn't allow the user to disable it).  also, there needs to be some 
obvious visual way of distinguishing the two things at all times (i mean 
the minimised icons vs. the launchers/files/etc).  whether this is in 
the form of an extra composited icon, an extra border around the icon 
and/or text, doesn't really matter.  i just want something obvious so 
that, a glance, a user can tell which is which (without having to click).

so, if anyone would like to take a crack at implementing this, please 
let me know.  i may have some more suggestions...

    -brian