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From: Castalia

Registered: 2007-02-02

Posts: 368

xfce4 + openbox experiment

I wanted to reduce the resource usage on my laptop, so I decided to experiment a bit. I figured I didn't need the whole xfce4 meta-package, so I read about xfce modules, and i have some questions.

1) besides the WM, I would like to have a panel and xfce4 settings manager. I understand that I need:
- xfce4-panel
- xfce-utils (this enables the pager on the panel. I don't quite get it, but ok)
- xfce-mcs-settings
- xfce-mcs-plugin

2) How would I start this machinery? Only xfce-panel has /bin executable, which concerns me. Do I put

exec xfce4-session &
exec openbox

and hope for the best?

3) Is this actually worth doing? I'm not sure about the size of packages (and deps) in Q1.

Thank you

zyghom

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From: Poland/Tanzania

Registered: 2006-05-11

Posts: 429

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Re: xfce4 + openbox experiment

I am using also openbox ( exec openbox-session) and in its autostart:

#!/bin/bash
xhost + &
idesk &
numlockx on &
conky
xfce4-panel &
xcompmgr -c -t-5 -l-5 -r4.2 -o.55 &

Last edited by zyghom (2008-04-02 11:25:01)

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Zygfryd Homonto

synorgy

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From: $HOME

Registered: 2005-07-11

Posts: 268

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Re: xfce4 + openbox experiment

What is it about Xfce-setting-manager that you use so much?

It sounds like we're using a similar setup (and require similar things from that setup) and I have pekwm running with bmpanel.

All I'm suggesting is that getting rid of Xfce4 may help you out a bit here. Check it out.

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"Unix is basically a simple operating system, but you have to be a genius to understand the simplicity." (Dennis Ritchie)

Misfit138

Misfit Emeritus

From: USA

Registered: 2006-11-27

Posts: 4,167

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Re: xfce4 + openbox experiment

There's a couple ways of doing it. I recently added this to the wiki:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ope … with_Xfce4
Which is using the complete Xfce4 environment, but substituting Openbox  for xfwm.
Personally, I go the other route as was suggested; openbox-session with xfce4panel in the autostart.sh.
The latter being the lighter solution.

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Amiga 1000 microATX mod

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From: Castalia

Registered: 2007-02-02

Posts: 368

Re: xfce4 + openbox experiment

What is it about Xfce-setting-manager that you use so much?

It sounds like we're using a similar setup (and require similar things from that setup) and I have pekwm running with bmpanel.

All I'm suggesting is that getting rid of Xfce4 may help you out a bit here. Check it out.

You really got me thinking on this one. I'd use setting-manager to change (icon-) theme. But, I guess I could set it up initially, and then delete the package . I'm not much of a customizer, actually, I just like the feeling of being able to control everything without much hassle (please don't redirect me to Ubuntu for this one ).

I tried pekwm, but I prefer openbox. I guess it's got more conventional defaults. I could say that openbox is compromise between simplicity (light-weight) and user friendliness.

Thanks pal, you really opened my eyes

Which is using the complete Xfce4 environment, but substituting Openbox  for xfwm.
Personally, I go the other route as was suggested; openbox-session with xfce4panel in the autostart.sh.
The latter being the lighter solution. smile

Reading my minds, nothing more to say

Could you people, who are using xfce4-panel, tell me if I really need xfce-utils to minimize windows? (it sounds silly, but that's how I understood by reading docs on xfce.org)

Cheers