xfskin(1)

NAME

xfskin, version 0.2.x

SYNOPSYS

xfskin

DESCRIPTION

xfskin is a TCL script to manage skins (or "themes") for xfce.

WORKING

It applies changes read from a skin file directly into the xfce configuration files, than restarts xfwm to commit the changes.

INSTALLING

After starting xfskin for the first time, a directory ~/xfskins is created, where the skins will be stored. To add a downloaded (.tar.gz) skin, use the [file/add] menu to add the downloaded skin. xfskin will extract the skin on the correct location & display it in the list.

CREATING

To create a skin, just press the create button on the main window. When you create a skin, please note that you have to enter at least a title, an author name and one comment line befor it is accepted. When a skin is created, a .tar.gz file of this skin is placed in ~/xfskins, ready for upload.

DELETING

To delete a skin, just press the delete button on the main window. When pressing the delete button in the main window, when there are no themes available, the xfskins directory wil be deleted & recreated, what results in a 'new' installation, but also removes all (.tar.gz) files in the ~/xfskins directory. (so be carefull with that option, you're warned!)

SKINS

Ok, so a skin is a collection of settings that together change the looks of XFCE. A skin does not include menu items or other settings that are system (or user) depending. To see what settings are included in a skin, see section SKINFILE below.

The skins are stored in the xfskins directory in your home. The name of a skin is the name of the directory the settings are stored in. A skin is typically contains the following file & directories:

~/xfskins/<skinname>/<skinname>.xfce
    This file contains the various settings this skin makes to XFCE.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/backdrop
    In this subdirectory the backdrop (if any) is stored.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/icons
    The icons used by this skin are stored here

~/xfskins/<skinname>/sounds
    Euh... A subdir to store the sounds used by this skin.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/texture
    If there's a texture used, it's placed here.

CONVENTIONS

To create a skin standard, there has to be a rule, saying which item on the XFCE panel stands for which application group. Otherwise you could end up with an icon using a Netscape image, pointing to your trashcan. So, to get somewhere i choose to use the 'default' symbols of XFCE as a reference: the internal icons of xfce. From left to right there are the following icons:

[xftree]
    files related, starting xftree, or whatever file-browser you like (default xftree)

[terminal]
    starts your terminal (default xfterm)

[mail]
    starts your mail client or browser (default netscape)

[editor]
    starts your text editor (default abiword)

[calendar]
    starts your calendar, PIM or whatever (nothing default)

[games]
    starts your games (no default)

[network]
    opens your network connections

[graphics]
    opens your pic editors (xv default)

[trash]
    this one is a little odd, it default icon points to sound, while the default app points to xftrash. I choose to use trash as default. (default app: xftrash)

[printer]
    opens xfprint by default

[configuration]
    opens various configuration applications

[tools]
    opens default tools & utilities.

SKINFILE

The skinfile, is a config name with the same name as the skin, using the extension .xfce. It contains the following settings: (not that you'll need them, just for those who want to edit a skin by hand)

author=
    well, who made the skin?

version=
    with what version of xfskin was it made (for future compatible?)

comment1=
    where is it about

comment2=
    line 2 for the ones who have a lot to say

comment3=
    an extra line for those who have even more to say

image=
    the backdrop used in this skin. only the name, paths are added by xfskin

style=
    style of the backdrop: stretch, tiled or auto. if omitted, auto is used

newdesk=
    sound made when switched to a new desk

addwin=
    sound made when a window is added

raisewin=
    sound made when a window is raised

lowerwin=
    sound made when a window is lowered

configwin=
    sound made when a window is configured

focuschange=
    sound made when a window focus is changed

destroywin=
    sound made when a window is closed

iconify=
    sound made when a window is iconified

de-iconify=
    sound made when a window is de-iconified

shade=
    sound made when a window is shaded

un-shade=
    sound made when a window is un-shaded

maximize=
    sound made when a window is maximized

de-maximize=
    sound made when a window is de-maximized

startup=
    sound made on xfce startup

shutdown=
    sound made on xfce shutdown

unknown=
    sound made on unknown events

files-icon=
    icon nr 1 on the XFCE bar, left to right, assuming 12 popups. (see CONVENTIONS section above for explanation)

term-icon=
    icon nr 2 on the XFCE bar

browse-icon=
    icon nr 3 on the XFCE bar

edit-icon=
    icon nr 4 on the XFCE bar

sched-icon=
    icon nr 5 on the XFCE bar

games-icon=
    icon nr 6 on the XFCE bar

net-icon=
    icon nr 7 on the XFCE bar

graph-icon=
    icon nr 8 on the XFCE bar

trash-icon=
    icon nr 9 on the XFCE bar

print-icon=
    icon nr 10 on the XFCE bar

config-icon=
    icon nr 11 on the XFCE bar

utils-icon=
    icon nr 12 on the XFCE bar

help-icon=
    Help icon (right most) on the XFCE bar

clocktype=
    Display an analog or digital clock. Analog is default.

24h=
    Display the clock in military mode. Defaults to yes.

menufont=
    Font used for the root menus.

iconfont=
    Font used for the icons.

titlefont=
    Font used for window titles.

active-gradient=
    Use a gradient on active window (only Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes

inactive-gradient=
    Use a gradient on inactive window (only Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes

mouse=
    color of the mouse pointer

statusbar=
    color of gtk status-bars

clock=
    color of the clock & xfce buttons (also 3rd desktop, when not using a backdrop)

inactiveleft=
    left color of inactive window, when usng gradient titlebars.

root=
    color of the first desktop, also used as selection color

activeright=
    right color of the active window. Also the color of the second desktop.

activeleft=
    left color of the active window.

panel=
    color of the xfce panel, border etc.

engine=
    used theme engine (on the Panel tab of the Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE

win-engine=
    used window border style (on the Window tab of the Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE

font=
    Default font

texture=
    Used texture.

BUGS

One of the 'bugs' i now know of, is that the XFCE panel sometimes doesn't show up when switching to a skin without a backdrop, for example the empty skin. Just restart xfwm (using the root menu) to have a work-around.

author

H.R. ter Veer (terveer@subdimension.com)

SEE ALSO

xfce, xfwm