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dax965

Member

Registered: 2007-09-09

Posts: 35

status bar for openbox

I find myself to be over-cluttered lately, so I ask this; Is there such thing as a status bar for Openbox, much like the ones for dwm, wmii, etc?  Here's what I'm looking for:
ability to:
- rename the tags
- use commands like ALT+1 or ALT+2 to switch workspaces
(optional but would be cool:)- have conky items in the status
- always on top; when windows maxamize it doesn't go over it
- put asterisk next to workspace name if URGENT hint is active (eg. if I get an IM).  I know one of the status bars do this.

Can I just use one of the status programs from one of those window managers, or is there an alternative, or would this be a simple script?

Thanks!

pyther

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 1,395

Website

Re: status bar for openbox

Not sure what you mean by rename tags

Do you mean a panel? With openbox you can edit ~/config/openbox/rc.conf to switch workspace via ALT+1 (by default its CTRL+ALT+Left/Right Arrow).

Pypanel seems to be popular panel. I don't know if it is able to put on asterisk on the workspace, but if you have pidgin and the tray icon, the tray icon will change if you have an unread message. In addition most panels do not get covered by a window. There is an option to set the desktop margins which I did to allow room for pypanel, so windows don't cover it.

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DonVla

Member

From: Bonn, Germany

Registered: 2007-06-07

Posts: 997

Re: status bar for openbox

hi dax965,

- rename the tags

no, there is no such thing like a "status bar". you can use dzen-bar (or how it's called), but for me it didn't work properly.  though, played only 15 minutes with it. perhaps more effort more results....

- use commands like ALT+1 or ALT+2 to switch workspaces

sure take a look at rc.xml. there you can change almost everything, key-bindings, mouse-stuff, application behaviour related to wm, etc.

(optional but would be cool:)- have conky items in the status

make a conky "status bar". take a look at some screenshots in the forum. it's a common conky setup.

- always on top; when windows maxamize it doesn't go over it

rc.xml

- put asterisk next to workspace name if URGENT hint is active (eg. if I get an IM).  I know one of the status bars do this.

you could use a panel with "show all opened windows on all desktops". openbox doesn't provide this.

Can I just use one of the status programs from one of those window managers, or is there an alternative, or would this be a simple script?

Thanks!

vlad