Arch Linux

jradakov

Member

Registered: 2008-04-24

Posts: 4

E17 themes

First and foremost, I just switched from Kubuntu to Arch.  I have used Slackware, Fedora, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Debian, Mandriva, and the list goes on... and on... and on...  Arch is far and away the best distro I have had the honor of using.  Absolutely fantastic.

Now, I have been trying different environments.  Before, I had been using KDE.  KDE and Gnome are somewhat bloated, and recently I found enlightenment... both e16 and e17.  I realize that e17 is very buggy and still in alpha, but I have read numerous posts regarding changing the themes.  I have downloaded and unpacked some themes from e17-stuff, and as per multiple forums, and move the folder with the .edj file to .e/e/themes.  Now, when I right click in the desktop and pull up the theme configuration panel, I get an area to search for themes.  I can't navigate any directories, and it is not showing anything (let alone available themes).

My question... has anybody in here had any experience with e17, and if so, can you tell me what I am doing wrong (if anything)?  I realize it is in development, but I was thinking that maybe there is some dependency or library I am missing.  If anyone has any ideas, they will be greatly appreciated.

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: E17 themes

Welcome to the forums.

First off, E17 is stable. It's much closer to a release state then its devs want to admit.

For EWL themes (the regular window themes), just download the theme, then go to the configuration panel, and navigate to it. You don't need to unpack them, nor move them anywhere. E17 will put them in the correct folder. It's a bit easier if you're using the 'basic' dialogs (the default).

If you want ETK themes, it gets a little more involved. But, ETK is barely working for theming anyway, so there's really no hurry.

Last edited by skottish (2008-04-24 20:34:14)

Redroar

Member

Registered: 2008-03-17

Posts: 200

Re: E17 themes

E17 is great. The file manager is just about the only thing in it I really don't trust, but everything else is very good.

But if the reason you don't want to use KDE is bloat, have a look at KDEmod. It splits everything up so you don't have to install anything you don't want to.

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Stop looking at my signature. It betrays your nature.

tam1138

Member

Registered: 2007-09-10

Posts: 238

Re: E17 themes

The OP is referring to neither EWL nor ETK themes, but the basic e17 wm themes.  The .edj files you download just go in ~/.e/e/themes, you don't need to unpack them.  If you do, in order to modify them, I'm pretty sure you need to repack them in order to use them.  Unpacking and reading from the filesystem defeats the purpose of the efficient packing mechanism.

(I do agree that e17 is quite usable: I haven't had a crash in ages, but I don't exactly stress it.)

bgc1954

Member

From: Edmonton, AB, Canada

Registered: 2006-03-14

Posts: 1,160

Re: E17 themes

First, welcome to Arch.  Enjoy your stay

When you try to change your theme are you checking the personal and not system selection when you have your themes in ~/.e/e/themes?  As far as E17 being buggy, I've been using it on three computers for quite some time now and haven't had any serious problems at all.

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils ... - Louis Hector Berlioz

jradakov

Member

Registered: 2008-04-24

Posts: 4

Re: E17 themes

Thanks, everyone, for the replies!

I'm actually having problems with both e17 and xfce4.  I don't really know how to describe it.  In e17, it seems that any window with a file browser (other than thunar)  in it will not show any files at all... nothing... zilch.  I have a window that opens to install themes, and it has two panes.  I see the radio buttons for personal and system.  Also, the buttons to navigate the directories are there... just no directories! 

In xcfe4, when the tips screen pops up... same thing!  I see the window, but no tips... no fortunes... nothing.  Also, when I try to customize the panels... I don't have any options to orient the window or to place the panel below the windows. 

Because I'm having issues with both, I'm sure it's some gtk package or some dependency or configuration that I have overlook... I'm not real up on the gtk/xorg/window manager... stuff.

bgc1954

Member

From: Edmonton, AB, Canada

Registered: 2006-03-14

Posts: 1,160

Re: E17 themes

Sounds more like a permissions problem.  Maybe try http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=43492

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils ... - Louis Hector Berlioz

jradakov

Member

Registered: 2008-04-24

Posts: 4

Re: E17 themes

Sounds more like a permissions problem.  Maybe try http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=43492

bgc1954... I wish the forums had thanks... I would thank you a million times.  I never even thought of permissions.  Works like a charm! 

Thanks again.