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Any way to do this with ecenter or another tool?

Started by os2monkey, 2007.11.12, 08:00:15

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os2monkey

Hi,
There are a few desktop features I miss from the windows world [although overall very happy to be in the ECS world primarily :)]. I was just wondering if it is possible to recreate them at all:
(1) New windows versions have on the quicklaunch bar a "Show Desktop" icon that if you click minimizes all open windows and gives you instant access to the desktop. I find this saves me much time when working.

(2) On windows I have a third party program that gives me "tabs" somewhat similiar to the ecenter trays. I was wondering however with the ecenter trays, is it possible to make the text/title of each icon appear under the icons? I find it hard to see the differences between the small icons on the tray - but haven't found a way to make the text print under the icons in any preferences. I have attached a screenshot of my windows desktop to show you what I mean
about the text labels under the icons on the "tray".
The other thing I would really like is if I could  make it so tray menus open up on mouse rollover instead of having to click them for the menu lists to open up. It's a minor thing, but still a little hard to get used to.

Is there any way to do this with a default ECS setup or third party applications you know about.

Thanks very much!
David Kiley

DavidG

To kill all folders, download the following file

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/util/wps/killfold.zip

Make a program object on the desktop or copy the program object to the screen borders page of epager properties.  I don't have time right now to detail how to set it up to use  a border of the screen to close all folders.

Rob Claessen

#2
Hi David,

If you install lswitcher in the ecenter you'll get a desktop button like under Windows, minimizing all programs and folders that is.
Lswitcher is a replacement for the build in window list. So if you want to use Lswitcher it is best to remove the build in window list. Contrary to what is says when you want to delete it, you can put it back in eCenter after a reboot, or maybe even after a restart of either eCenter or the Desktop.
Not sure if it does this by default, but you'll have to check under the Miscellaneous Tab : 'Switching to desktop minimizes/hides' for it to work like under Windows.

What the other David suggested is also very handy, but that only closes all open folder views, it won't close or minimize your programs. I use that myself a lot, but I have placed an icon for it in the ecenter. Binding it to a screen border might be handy, but I'm afraid it will cause some unwanted closures of folders if you hit that part of the screen unintended.

Don't know about your second question, sorry.
Rob Claessen

warpcafe

Hi David,

for 1) all is said. ;-)

For 2) there's two parts:

- The icon text
   Not sure if that will work, you'll have to try fiddeling around:
   Create a folder that includes the shadows you like and then make the folder be part of the tray.
   That should at least work for placing the folder into the xcenter/ecenter directly instead of tray.
   Might be, that you see ONLY TEXT however...

- The menu:
   Again not sure: Either this is part of XWorkplace (the full-fledged version of eCS built-in and
   stripped-down "eCenter") AND/OR the vintage (yet still good) NPSWPS tool.
   There is a setting which enables what you need in menus.
   Don't have an eCS machine at hand so I can't look it up right now...

HTH, Regards,
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy

Criguada

Hi David!

Quote from: os2monkey on 2007.11.12, 08:00:15
Hi,
There are a few desktop features I miss from the windows world [although overall very happy to be in the ECS world primarily :)]. I was just wondering if it is possible to recreate them at all:
(1) New windows versions have on the quicklaunch bar a "Show Desktop" icon that if you click minimizes all open windows and gives you instant access to the desktop. I find this saves me much time when working.

Look on this page: http://www.os2usr.org/xcenter/
You'll find the HBShowDesktop widget that does what you want.

Quote from: os2monkey on 2007.11.12, 08:00:15
(2) On windows I have a third party program that gives me "tabs" somewhat similiar to the ecenter trays. I was wondering however with the ecenter trays, is it possible to make the text/title of each icon appear under the icons? I find it hard to see the differences between the small icons on the tray - but haven't found a way

Don't think so. It could be a good idea for a future XWP enhancement though... provided there is someone to code it ;-)

You may also like the launchpad. Or its derivative: PianoPad. I like this last one very much (but it's not free).

Quote from: os2monkey on 2007.11.12, 08:00:15
The other thing I would really like is if I could  make it so tray menus open up on mouse rollover instead of having to click them for the menu lists to open up. It's a minor thing, but still a little hard to get used to.

I'm not sure I understand here. What do you mean by "mouse rollover" ? Would you want to switch among trays by using the mouse wheel? This too would be a good idea for an enhancement in XWP. I don't think it can be done presently.

Bye
Cris

melf

Quote from: Cristiano Guadagnino on 2007.11.12, 11:56:06

Quote from: os2monkey on 2007.11.12, 08:00:15
The other thing I would really like is if I could  make it so tray menus open up on mouse rollover instead of having to click them for the menu lists to open up. It's a minor thing, but still a little hard to get used to.

I'm not sure I understand here. What do you mean by "mouse rollover" ? Would you want to switch among trays by using the mouse wheel? This too would be a good idea for an enhancement in XWP. I don't think it can be done presently.

You can enable slidemenu at System setup>Mouse>Movement. Here you also can set delaytime for menu to slide out. That makes the content of folders to slide out when mouse is over. But to open the "trayicon" in the first place you still have to click. Try it and you'll see.
/Mikael

Andi

Quote from: os2monkey on 2007.11.12, 08:00:15
(1) New windows versions have on the quicklaunch bar a "Show Desktop" icon that if you click minimizes all open windows and gives you instant access to the desktop. I find this saves me much time when working.


If I understand you correct, this is the 'Desktop anzeigen' button I know since Win98 (new windows versions?) I think this feature is build into Xworkplace. One time I set up my machine to use the 'Left Windows' key to show the desktop (minimizing all windows) and pressing again, poping up the previous open windows.

I can check this at evening if you like, but use myself another xpager window for such purposes since a while.

RobertM

I think Andi is correct... or, if it isnt a feature directly a part of xWorkplace/eCenter, then it is as simple as going to the xWorkPlace Add-Ons page and downloading the appropriate program.

Personally, I've never used that feature, (and my xWorkplace bar is far different than when it was installed) so I am not sure -  I just use a mouse hot-spot and switch to an empty desktop.

On THAT note, I have found that using a ridiculous number of virtual desktops on certain machines can slow down various things noticeably. I am not sure whether it's the graphics hardware, the memory or the way that PM handles it... but on some machines I have found 3-4 virtual desktops is the "sweet spot" - and that anything too much higher (like 7 or 8) seem to degrade performance. I haven't looked into the virtual desktop code, but I suspect it is because it is actually creating a desktop the size of all of the v-desktops combined...


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Criguada

Hi Robert!
No, that's not the way it works. It is simply moving windows off-screen in the opposite direction with respect to your movement.
I have always had quite the opposite experience: OS/2 does not suffer even with a high number of desktops. I have always 9 desktops arranged 3x3. Obviously, having a lot of virtual desktops you probably tend to open more windows and leave them open, which in turn leads to using more RAM and hence makes the system slower.
BTW, I find that OS/2 and Linux behave very well with virtual desktops (fast switching, fast response even with a lot of desktops), while Windows is always very sluggish while switching even with a few (2 or 3) desktops.

Bye
Cris

RobertM

Quote from: Cristiano Guadagnino on 2007.11.12, 23:42:12
Hi Robert!
No, that's not the way it works. It is simply moving windows off-screen in the opposite direction with respect to your movement.
I have always had quite the opposite experience: OS/2 does not suffer even with a high number of desktops. I have always 9 desktops arranged 3x3. Obviously, having a lot of virtual desktops you probably tend to open more windows and leave them open, which in turn leads to using more RAM and hence makes the system slower.
BTW, I find that OS/2 and Linux behave very well with virtual desktops (fast switching, fast response even with a lot of desktops), while Windows is always very sluggish while switching even with a few (2 or 3) desktops.

Bye
Cris

Hi Cris,

Thanks for the clarification!

And yeah, in monitoring my OS/2 usage, I suspect you are correct... being spoilt by the OS, I do tend to leave a lot of programs running on various desktops... and I would also agree that OS/2 handles virtual desktops far faster than any Windows method I have tested.

The other *possible* issue I am experiencing is *perhaps*(?) Firefox/Mozilla/SeaMonkey keep drawing when they aren't in the desktop area? It *seems* that native OS/2 apps don't actually draw if their screen area is hidden or covered - or only draw the portion that isnt covered... and it seems that Firefox draws and draws and draws... (unless possibly minimized?)

Thanks,
-Robert


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Kirk's 5 Year Mission Continues at:
Star Trek New Voyages
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