SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

socials · 2013-11-24 11:24:26

naphelge wrote:

How does that suffice for a "purpose"?

That actually sounds reasonable. However, implementing that in a file manager is unnecessary bloat in my opinion.

Maybe you could set up a script that changes the desktop folder on workspace change? Or something like that. Just an idea.

naphelge · 2013-11-25 21:02:24

socials wrote:

implementing that in a file manager is unnecessary bloat in my opinion.

Well I have been using spacefm for 3 months now and know what I am is sure is less than 10% of its flexible potential. I just have not had the time to put into learning much more than tools atm. I did not think there was nor should be a hard coded otpion for setting different icon sets for each desktop, but maybe a not so difficult way to offer the option if one so desires.

In the meantime I have discovered LXLauncher which **almost** does everything I want but is quite a finicky app to get everything just right. But as of now I do have multiple tabbed pages on which different icon sets are grouped based on themes, which looks and works great. But I would still prefer something I could setup either in openbox or using spacefm since I use it as my default anyway.

Maybe you could set up a script that changes the desktop folder on workspace change? Or something like that. Just an idea.

If I could I would. I have been thinking if I might be able to whip up some script to manage what I am looking for; but alas, I am just a humble bash hacker who just manages to get enough scripts working to make his computing experience just a little better and more efficient.

cheers

IgnorantGuru · 2013-11-26 12:45:04

When SpaceFM gained movable desktop icons several months ago, I did look into the prospect of different wallpapers and icons on each workspace (aka desktop). Unfortunately the discussion on this is lost because the forum SpaceFM used to use lost the old posts. What I remember after looking into it was that it proved very unfeasible given the design of SpaceFM's desktop management code. It would require a major redesign. So that is not planned, at least not unless I write a desktop manager from scratch.

I can't recall the details so don't take this as gospel, but the basic idea is that 'workspaces' are merely virtual desktops - they merely remember what windows are shown. You can simulate a workspace by hiding or showing particular windows. There is only one desktop and one root window on the X screen. The root window gets the wallpaper and holds the icons. So changing the root window changes all the so-called 'workspaces'. For a desktop manager to handle this differently, it would need to change the root window wallpaper and contents every time you switched, to give you the illusion of multiple desktops.

The other way to do something similar is to start multiple X displays, or a second X screen on one display. Then each display or screen has its own X screen and root window, even if they are the same user. You switch using Ctrl+Alt+F7, F8, etc. Each screen can run different desktop or window managers entirely, or different configurations of the same manager. (SpaceFM starts a new instance for each X screen/display, so you can use --config-dir to specify an alternate configuration to spacefm.) Same user, but logged in twice - once each screen. That sounds more like what you want, but involves configuring this in Xorg (Xorg.conf, etc.) In some contexts this may be related to Xinerama. Personally I've worked with a few such methods, but I haven't tried multiple X screens on a single monitor, which is what I think you want. There should be how-tos on this.

So there are better options if you deal with multiple X screens. Most desktop or window managers won't do what you want.

EDIT: Also, if you merely want different wallpapers on each desktop, there are utilities that do this (they must change the root window wallpaper every time you switch workspaces). There are some tools for this if you search - I think XFCE allows this by default now, no compiz required.

Last edited by IgnorantGuru (2013-11-26 12:51:19)

naphelge · 2013-11-26 21:17:22

Wow, what an awesome reply! Thanks.

Now I am wondering, if say, Bohdi Linux, running Enlightened WM already has the capability to set unique wallpapers in each virt. desktop then how much further would it be to config it to also set unique desktop icons? Maybe that would be a better starting point? For me the WM is of little relevence so long as it remains lightweight.

IgnorantGuru · 2013-11-26 22:55:45

naphelge wrote:

Now I am wondering, if say, Bohdi Linux, running Enlightened WM already has the capability to set unique wallpapers in each virt. desktop then how much further would it be to config it to also set unique desktop icons? Maybe that would be a better starting point? For me the WM is of little relevence so long as it remains lightweight.

The WM handles windows, and creates the workspaces illusion by merely hiding and showing windows afaik - it's not what adds icons to the root window. The typical DM isn't aware of this workspaces illusion. It merely updates the root window wallpaper and adds icons to it. So I would say a window manager probably won't deal with icons at all. A desktop manager would need to be aware of when the workspace changes (either using some hook or because it initiated the change). Then it could change the icons in the root window to reflect the current 'workspace' when it changes, and change the wallpaper. So basically a desktop manager would need to be designed to do this - different wallpapers is much simpler than different icons.

If you use some scheme to handle the wallpaper, then change the files in the desktop directory on workspace change (eg via script), you might accomplish it. But the typical desktop manager will likely lose info about those icons you remove (ie their positions) - SpaceFM certainly will.

Lockheed · 2013-12-23 19:52:50

I recently updated from spaceFM 8.2 to the newest version, and I am sure it is an improvement, however it looks quite ugly now.
On the list of files, all the file and folder names are on the same slab of grey, rather than separated with nice alternating white/light-grey pattern. Is there some way to get it to look the way it used to, or at least better?
I found nothing useful in Settings.

anonymous_user · 2013-12-23 19:56:09

I think this change occurred after 0.8.2, but the SpaceFM package in the repos now uses GTK3 instead of GTK2. Try changing GTK themes and see if it helps.

Lockheed · 2013-12-24 08:56:37

I am unable to change GTK3 themes, but I installed spacefm-gkt2 from aur and problem solved.

anonymous_user · 2013-12-24 15:26:16

Why are you unable to change GTK3 themes? Just install one and use lxappearance to change.

Lockheed · 2013-12-24 15:33:41

Yes, I know but lxappearance only seem to change GTK2 themes for me.

anonymous_user · 2013-12-24 15:37:00

You did remember to start SpaceFM after changing the theme right?

Lockheed · 2013-12-24 15:49:17

Yes. The GTK3 theme that is being used by spaceFM has nothing to do with the GTK theme set by lxappearance

Scimmia · 2013-12-24 16:09:35

So if your GUI tool won't do it, do it yourself. This is Arch, after all.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GTK%2B#GTK.2B_3.x

abner · 2014-01-06 05:19:29

Is there an issue with some of the plugins not working anymore? I'm trying to install the batch rename (featured one from the website) but it fails every way I've tried to install it.

Lockheed · 2014-01-09 08:37:45

I have a strange problem. In the file copy status window, which displays all the information during copying files form one location to another, I cannot change width of individual columns.
For example, I grab the left edge of "To" and move it left to make more space for others, but it barely moves (if at all), and if it does, it feels like the computer is being an a-hole jerking it in the opposite direction.
The other columns are even worse - I can't even grab them.

At the same time, column resizing for the main file window works fine.

orschiro · 2014-01-09 10:43:25

I consider switching to SpaceFM from Thunar. However, I essentially need access to remote locations and filesystems. Is this something SpaceFM supports?

Rasi · 2014-01-09 15:53:27

yes.. using udevil...

orschiro · 2014-01-10 22:11:09

@Rasi

Thanks. So I installed spacefm and udevil but I cannot figured out how to mount for instance a remote ftp location.

I entered the ftp url into the location bar but all I get is this mount error:

anonymous_user · 2014-01-10 23:53:51

If you haven't already, edit the /etc/udevil/udevil.conf file so that you can mount remote locations:

allowed_types = $KNOWN_FILESYSTEMS, file, cifs, nfs, curlftpfs, sshfs, davfs

Also make sure you have the necessary optional dependencies installed. For ftp you need curlftpfs.

orschiro · 2014-01-11 05:55:53

@anonymous_user

After installing curlftpfs the above message is gone. However, now a terminal window opens reporting:

Connecting...
Error connecting to ftp: Access denied: 530
[ Finished ]  Press Enter to close

Obviously access is denied because the server I am trying to access requires credentials. But spacefm does not ask me for them. Is there a place to store them?

IgnorantGuru · 2014-01-16 20:15:44

orschiro wrote:

Obviously access is denied because the server I am trying to access requires credentials. But spacefm does not ask me for them. Is there a place to store them?

These are entered in the URL, per usage seen in udevil --help. You can also set a URL in a bookmark. While you can put the password in the URL, note that this is a non-secure use. See curlftpfs (or whatever fs the URL is using) for other automated authentication methods.

IgnorantGuru · 2014-01-16 20:21:45

Lockheed wrote:

I have a strange problem. In the file copy status window, which displays all the information during copying files form one location to another, I cannot change width of individual columns.
For example, I grab the left edge of "To" and move it left to make more space for others, but it barely moves (if at all), and if it does, it feels like the computer is being an a-hole jerking it in the opposite direction.
The other columns are even worse - I can't even grab them.
At the same time, column resizing for the main file window works fine.

This should now be corrected in spacefm-git (AUR), due in 0.9.3 release. For additional feedback on this see this issue. This was reported by one user some time ago but was unreproducible, but I recently saw it do it on a laptop. Seems to only appear on some systems.

orschiro · 2014-01-17 06:15:28

@IgnorantGuru

Thanks a lot! I guess I have to look a bit deeper into it to finally understand.

For instance, whilst entering ssh user@alias.rhcloud.com in a normal shell terminal lets me connect to my remote host, udevil mount user@alias.rhcloud.com returns:

read: Connection reset by peer

Any explanation why it does not work with udevil?

Last edited by orschiro (2014-01-17 06:16:07)

IgnorantGuru · 2014-01-17 10:30:28

orschiro wrote:

@IgnorantGuru
Thanks a lot! I guess I have to look a bit deeper into it to finally understand.
For instance, whilst entering ssh user@alias.rhcloud.com in a normal shell terminal lets me connect to my remote host, udevil mount user@alias.rhcloud.com returns:
read: Connection reset by peer
Any explanation why it does not work with udevil?

Re 'Connection reset by peer' and other sshfs errors, you can read my answer here. Running ssh as a user is not equivalent to running udevil. udevil is a mount front-end, so it's more comparable to running 'mount -t sshfs' as root, or mounting sshfs in fstab. It's going through the sshfs mount helper. Could be you just need to specify the port, or you can search for "sshfs connection reset by peer" for additional ideas. It's easy to take udevil out of the loop to troubleshoot, as I explained there.

ninian · 2014-01-20 18:31:02

@IgnorantGuru:
Have upgraded to version 0.9.3 and am intrigued by your change log which says:

SpaceFM now looks in /usr/share/applications subdirs for .desktop files when starting apps, helping to prevent 'command not found' errors.

I didn't realise that subdirectories of the XDG 'applications' directories could also contain .desktop files, but on searching I found a mailing list topic Subdirectories in share/applications/ ?
so you are quite right. Further, xdg-open from the xdg-utils package also looks for files in one subdirectory down:

binary_to_desktop_file()
{
    search="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}:${XDG_DATA_DIRS:-/usr/local/share:/usr/share}"
    ...
    for dir in $search; do
        unset IFS
        [ "$dir" ] || continue
        [ -d "$dir/applications" ] || [ -d "$dir/applnk" ] || continue
        for file in "$dir"/applications/*.desktop "$dir"/applications/*/*.desktop "$dir"/applnk/*.desktop "$dir"/applnk/*/*.desktop; do
    ...

But then I found that the update-desktop-database command stores in mimeinfo.cache the subdirectory name followed by a hyphen (-) then the desktop filename!
So you get an entry like:

[MIME Cache]
mime/type=subdir-name.desktop;

Now, you really have me wondering:
1) Which packages might actually install .desktop files in a subdirectory of an XDG applications directory (I've never known one myself)?
2) How can one possibly resolve the right desktop file to use if its name contains a hyphen - such as the real examples of gnome-mplayer.desktop and libreoffice-writer, etc? mimecache.info then could have ambiguous entries like:

mime/type=subdir-namepart1-namepart2.desktop;

Edit: LOL Of course, there's always /usr/share/applications/spacefm-folder-handler.desktop as an example of a double-hyphen.
3) In mimeapps.list, should one specify: subdir-name.desktop OR subdir/name.desktop?!

I'm not sure how far you have gone in SpaceFM to implement this stuff, but I hesitate to tinker with my own launcher package fyr which tries to use the XDG desktop standards reasonably accurately.

Any comments most welcome!

Last edited by ninian (2014-01-20 19:42:11)

Arch Linux

#601 2013-11-24 11:24:26

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#602 2013-11-25 21:02:24

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#603 2013-11-26 12:45:04

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#604 2013-11-26 21:17:22

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#605 2013-11-26 22:55:45

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#606 2013-12-23 19:52:50

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#607 2013-12-23 19:56:09

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#608 2013-12-24 08:56:37

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#609 2013-12-24 15:26:16

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#610 2013-12-24 15:33:41

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#611 2013-12-24 15:37:00

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#612 2013-12-24 15:49:17

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#613 2013-12-24 16:09:35

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#614 2014-01-06 05:19:29

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#615 2014-01-09 08:37:45

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#616 2014-01-09 10:43:25

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#617 2014-01-09 15:53:27

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#618 2014-01-10 22:11:09

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#619 2014-01-10 23:53:51

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#620 2014-01-11 05:55:53

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#621 2014-01-16 20:15:44

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#622 2014-01-16 20:21:45

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#623 2014-01-17 06:15:28

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#624 2014-01-17 10:30:28

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

#625 2014-01-20 18:31:02

Re: SpaceFM - A Customizable File Manager

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