Desktop icons

[paulfxh]

I'm running a frugal install of TC in PPI/TCE mode on a EeePC 901.
Although this machine has a relatively small screen (1024x600) it looks very bare without a few icons. Of course, I have a number of launcher icons in the wBar but I'd also like to use the Desktop area to store some videos or mp3 or jpeg files that I use frequently.
Given that there doesn't seem to be a Desktop directory, I'm not sure if this is even possible.
Any clues?

[curaga]

You'd need an app to display those icons, such as Rox filer from the repository.
Then on using it, you'd better ask Jason, I prefer having no icons cluttering my desk

[paulfxh]

You'd need an app to display those icons, such as Rox filer from the repository.

Thank you.
Yes, I actually do have Rox-filer installed and use it, not surprisingly, as a file-manager. However, given that there doesn't seem to be any Desktop directory anywhere, I cannot see how to install icons on the Desktop.

Then on using it, you'd better ask Jason, I prefer having no icons cluttering my desk

Jason, if you are there, I'd really appreciate your advice.

[Jason W]

A Desktop directory can be created, minefield does that by default for downloads.  But that does not seem to be related to Rox desktop icons which don't need to be in the Desktop directory.  Basically, edit your .xsession file to look something like this:

Code: [Select]

DESKTOP="$(awk '/wm:/{print $2}' .desktop)"
Xvesa -br -2button -mouse /dev/psaux etc etc etc
rox --pinboard=PIN &
exec "${DESKTOP:=jwm}"

Then if you want to be able to use wbar and also the JWM menu, go in ROX to Options -> Compatibility -> Window manager problems.  Check the first two entries, the first one overrides window manager control of pinboard and panels and the second passes backdrop mouse clicks to the window manager.

[tobiaus]

the last time i used rox with a pinboard (what rox calls its desktop option) it was not based on a desktop folder. so you have a folder with ff, but rox used a list of shortcuts- more like an .ini file. despite a folder not defining the pinboard, it should be possible to create a pinboard file (and thus, a desktop) based on the contents of any folder.

you could do that with a script (i'm surprised no one ever wrote one) but to really make it like a desktop in larger desktop environments, you'd need to run that script as a daemon, and have it read the contents of the desktop periodically. (would you need to restart the pinboard periodically? that's messy.) other than that, create your desktop by dragging icons from rox to the desktop. it's still more friendly than xtdesk.

[paulfxh]

Thank you for those replies.
Using Jason W's post, I was able to get icons on the Desktop although, as pointed out, the ~/Desktop folder I created seems to have no bearing on the actual Desktop (or pinboard or whatever it's called).
I was a bit concerned initially when my Desktop background failed to show up. But this was easy to retrieve just by right-clicking any icon and choosing Backdrop.
Significantly different from what I'm used to as a Desktop but looks good nonetheless.
Need to study the content of tobiaus' post to see what more I can do with this.

[tobiaus]

no study necessary. standard use of pinboard is simple: open a window in rox, go to a folder where there's an item you want a shortcut to, drag to the desktop. you just made an icon.

pinboard isn't designed to reflect the contents of any folder. making it do that would be tricky, i was talking about what i think that would entail.