Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Pizzasgood · Posted: Wed 06 Feb 2008, 20:21 Post subject:

First there is X. This provides the ability to have a GUI in the first place. It also controls the mouse cursor unless something else overrides it. It will use whichever cursor theme is at /root/.icons/default/ (though some versions of Puppy require a missing library to use this). MU made a package for setting them and also provided many cursor themes.

Then, there are "window managers," which create manage windows (go figure). They create the title bar and the borders, let you move them around, etc. Examples: JWM, IceWM, XFCE (technically, the xfwm part), Fluxbox, etc.

There is a third category called "taskbar" or "panel," which is basically the "start bar". Some window managers provide this themselves, some don't. (JWM and IceWM do.) When they don't, there are programs that specifically provide this. Example: Fbpanel

Fourth category: desktop icons. Again, some WM's include these, others don't. (Neither JWM nor IceWM provide this; we get icons from ROX-Filer (the file manager). XFCE does have an option for icons now though)

Fifth category: file manager. This is the program that lets you navigate the file system. The main reason I mention this is that it is the thing to modify when you want different icons for things like directories or text files. In Puppy's case, this is ROX-Filer, which has support for icon themes (options -> types, the dropdown menu) which are installed at /root/.icons/.

Then, aside from all that there are the GUI toolkits. These are what handle all the widgets (scroll bars, buttons, input fields, "file" menu, etc.). Examples: GTK, QT, FLTK
Unlike the WM, which of these are used depends on the specific app. If I write a program using GTK, you can't make it use QT without changing the source and recompiling it. However, you can change the GTK or QT themes, and the programs that use the toolkits will subsequently look different.
Generally, if you want to run a program using a given toolkit you must have that toolkit installed. An exception is if the program was statically linked against the toolkit, in which case the program will be larger but won't have a dependency on the toolkit.

Most apps in Puppy use GTK or GTK 2, which are treated as two separate things (i.e. a theme for GTK won't affect a GTK 2 app).

Also, toolkits tend to have "engines" which set the overall style. For example, GTK has a "smooth engine." The themes generally depend on a specific engine, then just alter the colors, sizes, and positioning of the widgets. An exception is the pixbuf engine, which lets you use images for the buttons and such.

MU made a package called GTK Themechooser for changing GTK themes (Puppy has a basic theme chooser but all it's really good for are the very basic themes Puppy ships with).

alienjeff · Joined: 08 Jul 2006 Posts: 2290 Location: Winsted, CT - USA

Eyes-Only · Posted: Wed 06 Feb 2008, 23:33 Post subject:

Fascinating read PG, on all the various bits and pieces, even for an "old salt" like me. Wink

Thanks for taking the time out of studies to write that!

Amicalement,

Eyes-Only
"L'Peau-Rouge"

WhoDo

nic2109 · Posted: Thu 07 Feb 2008, 14:36 Post subject:

trapster · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 1966 Location: Maine, USA

trapster · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 1966 Location: Maine, USA

Puppy3.00 Retro
Fluxbox
Transparent aterm
orpheus - playing stream
conky
Gkkrellm
wbar

Fullsize

wow · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 950

WhoDo

nic2109 · Posted: Fri 08 Feb 2008, 14:53 Post subject:

jonyo · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 2727

puppyluvr

hey guy`s

I thought this thread was for eye-candy Cool

So here`s one more for the buddapup Smile

Puppy Rocks!!!!!!

trapster · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 1966 Location: Maine, USA

I can never leave well enough alone... Laughing

Fullsize

crabbypup · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 91 Location: toronto canada

here is my desktop. it's not that fancy, but whatever.

[img][/img]

[img][/img]

[img][/img]

sorry, the images are a little big. Cool

MU · Posted: Wed 13 Feb 2008, 07:45 Post subject:

full size (1600x1050):
http://noforum.de/pics/darkmuppy008.jpg

The icewm-theme is called "ThinBlack".
Gtk-Theme: http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Slickness+Black?content=73210

Somewhat similar is this, it also has black scrollbars. Maybe it is a bit too black, but that's personal taste.
But different to the first one, it also supports the old Gtk+.
So you might choose this first in my Themeselector to set black for Gtk+, and then the other one to set that for Gtk2 only.
http://themes.freshmeat.net/projects/tenebrific/

Background:
http://www.vladstudio.com/wallpaper/?583
or
http://www.vladstudio.com/wallpaper/?584

On top you see the GtkBasic Panel, below on the right the gdesklets.
On bottom right conky.

Mark