How to 'shade' Conky?

The Avatar of Time · 2008-08-05 08:48:03

Hello all,

I am configuring Conky and have a little problem: Conky doesn't show up well on most of my wallpapers.

I have it transparent, but was wondering if there is a way to shade it a bit? Basically I want the same effect that '-sh 25' in rxvt-unicode would give.

I don't see an option to do this, but judging by screenshots that I have seen I am sure that it can be done. I have tried 'default_shade_color black', but that doesn't seem to do anything. Of course there is always the possiblity that I am not using the option properly.....:rolleyes:

Anyhow, any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

***Also, as an afterthought, I am reading here: http://conky.sourceforge.net/config_settings.html and have noticed that it does not offer a very thourogh explanation of options for each setting. For instance, in some cases it doesn't specify whether 'true' or 'yes' is the proper term to use, and doesn't list all the options that you can use and what they do. My question is, where could I find a more thourough explanation? I have looked through 'man conky' and it says the same things as that page. Thanks again.

Last edited by The Avatar of Time (2008-08-05 09:09:05)

bgc1954 · 2008-08-05 13:46:32

What works for me is:

draw_shades yes
default_shade_color black

Edit: I haven't really seen a good tutorial or such for conky. You kinda have to just google for everyone else's .conkyrc and use the bits and pieces that work for you.

Last edited by bgc1954 (2008-08-05 13:58:38)

The Avatar of Time · 2008-08-06 02:01:08

Thanks for the reply.

That certainly helped. I had the 'default_shade_color black' chosen but had somehow forgot to save after changing 'draw_shades' to yes, so it was still no.

It doesn't do quite what I was wanting, but it does help considerably. I was hoping to make the background of the whole window that conky is in (given I have it forked to the background) to have a dark shade/tint to it.

However, this is certainly better, and I think I can live with it for now, so thanks for the help.

Anyone else know how to shade the whole background? Thanks.

***I am still getting it all configured, but once I do I'll post a screenshot of it.

solarwind · 2008-10-22 00:18:46

I want to know how to do this as well.

Leigh · 2008-10-22 18:02:15

instead of black, white, etc.. you can tweak using html values ....... example , f3f3f3 but without the #

WladyX · 2008-11-17 13:55:41

Have you found any other solutions?
Thanks.

The Avatar of Time · 2008-12-03 06:05:53

WladyX wrote:

Have you found any other solutions?
Thanks.

I haven't made any more progress on it yet, I've been too busy to mess with it much. I would still like to get it figured out though.

Rydgel · 2008-12-03 07:59:48

You want something like that ? http://www.flickr.com/photos/rydgel/3022519907/sizes/l/

WladyX · 2008-12-03 11:43:04

Yes, but only the background of conky to be shaded, not the text too.

moljac024 · 2008-12-03 12:00:08

WladyX wrote:

Yes, but only the background of conky to be shaded, not the text too.

I don't think this is possible with conky.
I'd like that too, It'd be nice but with conky you either have full transparency or no transparency.
You can't specify a shade level like you can in many other apps (like trayer or pypanel).
But, hey, you always have the conky source code available

methuselah · 2009-02-19 04:28:45

Rydgel wrote:

You want something like that ? http://www.flickr.com/photos/rydgel/3022519907/sizes/l/

How did you do that? I would like to make a transparent background just like that.

EDIT: I found out all you need to do is add "class=Conky" to your compiz-fusion opacity settings and change the "own_window_transparent" to no.

own_window  yes
own_window_transparent no
own_window_type widget
own_window_hints undecorate,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

Last edited by methuselah (2009-02-19 09:40:52)

cothrige · 2009-11-21 05:14:40

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but the script draw_bg.lua, which I found here, http://conky.linux-hardcore.com/?page_id=3002 will shade the background of Conky without shading the text as compiz does. Just add these two lines to your conkyrc just above the TEXT section, changing the path for the script to whatever matches your system.

lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

The script defaults to white for the background colour but this can be changed to whatever is desired, and the level of transparency is adjustable as well. A very nice added feature is that the corners of the window, again unlike the compiz example, can be rounded for a very slick effect. The end result really is very, very nice.

Sirrah · 2010-01-07 13:45:16

cothrige wrote:

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but the script draw_bg.lua, which I found here, http://conky.linux-hardcore.com/?page_id=3002 will shade the background of Conky without shading the text as compiz does. Just add these two lines to your conkyrc just above the TEXT section, changing the path for the script to whatever matches your system.
lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg
The script defaults to white for the background colour but this can be changed to whatever is desired, and the level of transparency is adjustable as well. A very nice added feature is that the corners of the window, again unlike the compiz example, can be rounded for a very slick effect. The end result really is very, very nice.

Looks brilliant, but not working for some reason - it's exactly as it was before . I'm working on building a Conky config from scratch. I copied draw_bg.lua exactly as it is on that page to /home/[my user name]/scripts/draw_bg.lua and my .conkyrc is as follows:

background yes
double_buffer yes
own_window no
alignment top_right
update_interval 1
gap_x 10
gap_y 10
draw_borders yes
border_inner_margin 5
border_outer_margin 5
border_width 1
default_color white
draw_outline yes
default_outline_color black
font bitstream_vera_sans_mono:7
uppercase yes
use_spacer right
cpu_avg_samples 5
no_buffers yes
text_buffer_size 999
lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
lua_draw_hook_pre


TEXT
test test test test test
test test test test test
test test test test test
test test test test test
test test test test test

Epiphanic · 2010-01-07 15:20:39

I've done this by using a semi-transparent background. I stole the idea from Aymara's posts in the Conky thread in the Artwork forum. You should be able to make an image that is as transparent as you want to serve as the background. Obviously you won't be able to adjust the level of opacity on the fly (you'll have to make a new background image), but I think it works pretty well.

The first post on this page is an example of Aymara's work: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=39906&p=17

cothrige · 2010-01-10 04:59:50

I am not sure but my conkyrc does look a little different than yours. I have, just before the TEXT section, the following:

lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

I noticed that you did not have the "draw_bg" at the end of your excerpt. Having pieced mine together from the websites and a little trial and error, I have absolutely no knowledge of the inner workings of either conky or lua in general, I cannot speak with any authority. But that setup does work here and so it may help for you.

WladyX · 2010-01-17 19:31:00

You have to install conky-lua (AUR) instead of conky.

Arch Linux

#1 2008-08-05 08:48:03

How to 'shade' Conky?

#2 2008-08-05 13:46:32

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#3 2008-08-06 02:01:08

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#4 2008-10-22 00:18:46

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#5 2008-10-22 18:02:15

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#6 2008-11-17 13:55:41

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#7 2008-12-03 06:05:53

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#8 2008-12-03 07:59:48

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#9 2008-12-03 11:43:04

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#10 2008-12-03 12:00:08

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#11 2009-02-19 04:28:45

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#12 2009-11-21 05:14:40

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#13 2010-01-07 13:45:16

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#14 2010-01-07 15:20:39

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#15 2010-01-10 04:59:50

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

#16 2010-01-17 19:31:00

Re: How to 'shade' Conky?

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