Description: This plasmoid for KDE 4.3 or later is something like a quicklaunch, but instead of icons you get text buttons. You can assign any command or string of commands to the button as well as a tool tip.
Why text?
Someone may well ask, "Why text buttons when we have pretty icons?". Text has a few of advantages: - Text is simple, descriptive, and to the point. I use a lot of custom-built or in-house apps at work, so I hate having to remember which tiny blob of pixels on my panel launches which program. So much easier just to have the words right there. - Text buttons are short and wide; icons are always square in KDE (even if they're not supposed to be!). Shrink your panel down on a small, wide screen (like a netbook) and you will have a hard time clicking a little square icon. But a nice wide text button is easy to click. - If you're arsty about your desktop, some icons don't go well with some backgrounds/themes/styles. Text is like blue jeans or ketchup: it isn't spectacular but it goes with everything!
KNOWN ISSUES:
- None presently; older issues have been fixed or disappeared with recent versions of KDE.
TODO: - I'd like to make the font/colors/size customizable, but after conferring with plasma-devel there seem to be some limitations of libplasma in the way. Maybe there's a way around this. - Maybe drag&drop support for .desktop files, we'll see. - Maybe add Dock-like functionality (where a launcher only launches one instance of the program, switching to the open instance if there is one) would be a nice option for launchers. - Other appearance tweaks?
If you want to contribute, get the code on github:
* Version 0.3.3 by vkos (Sep 5, 2010) - Layout fix in configuration form * Version 0.3.2 (Feb 19, 2010) - Fixed a small bug that broke fixed widths after KDE 4.4 upgrade. Let me know if it breaks 4.3 or other. * Version 0.3.1 (Oct 17, 2009) - Removed margin around the buttons so they take up less vertical space. * Version 0.3 (Sep 28, 2009) - Now uses Plasma Tooltips - Can set background style to default or translucent (only seems to have an effect when used off-panel)
* Version 0.2.1 (Sep 16, 2009) - Fixed a small bug that caused icons to display instead of text under certain conditions.
* Version 0.2 (Sep 13, 2009) - Selection follows your item when moving buttons in the launcher config. - Launchers can be added without comment (tooltip) text. - You'll get a warning (and no button will be added) if you don't enter a command or button text for an item. - NEW FEATURE: You can make the layout horizontal (default) or vertical (ideal for sidebar use) - NEW FEATURE: You can set the buttons to a fixed width (good for vertical use)
Sorry, probably not. I haven't used KDE in years; I'm sure the API has changed a lot. The code is on github though if you want to fork or make a pull request.
pclinuxos
the problem showes up when I want to configurate this plasmoid. Everything seems to be ok until i won't log out and log in again. When I leave defaults it works ok.
It shouldn't require anything special; do you have the plasma-scriptengine-python package installed? Do other python plasma applets work?
Also, can you post the output of "plasmoidviewer textlaunch" from a konsole?
"plasmoidviewer(5122)/libplasma Plasma::FrameSvg::resizeFrame: Invalid size QSizeF(0, 0)
plasmoidviewer(5122)/libplasma Plasma::FrameSvg::resizeFrame: Invalid size QSizeF(0, 0)"
As I said it works, although It dosen't starts after reboot. I have no idea what is wrong here, other python plasmoids (mpd plasma client) works.
I'm afraid I don't know what the problem could be. Those errors always come up, whether it works or no.
I'll try on a couple of my other machines, to see if I can get it to fail for me. Otherwise I don't have much hope of debugging it.
It's a great plasmoid, but there was one annoying thing for me: if there is a lot of launchers I need using this stupid scroller instead of resizing window (and the other thing about this, that such layouting is just ugly ;-))
So, I corrected UI files to use layouts.
Plasmoid is here: http://slil.ru/29649173.
Thanks for good work!
Thanks for fixing this! I normally code kde/qt stuff by hand, but I tried designer when I made the dialogs and I couldn't figure out how to make the widget expand.
I just created a github repo for this project, but I am a total git newbie; maybe you can merge your code there? If not I'll try to figure it out when I have some free time.
github is https://github.com/alandmoore/textlaunch-plasmoid
OK, I created pull request here. So you need just to apply this changing. Commands should be like this
$ git remote add vkos git://github.com/vkos/textlaunch-plasmoid.git
$ git fetch vkos
$ git merge vkos/master
$ git push origin master
But better see http://help.github.com/pull-requests/, because I just try to rewrite the example from that page and I'm git newbie too.
I think some enviroment variables get lost.
For example chromium starts in english, when my locale are set to italian.
Also it starts with an ugly gtk style, while i configured another one.
My tests confirm that some environment variables are not set in whatever environment the plasmoid runs in. I don't know why, but if I get some time I'll look into it.
In the meantime, you can set important variables in the command itself as a workaround, eg.
LANG=it_IT.UTF-8 chromium
I don't know if it can be done with plasma toolbuttons (which is what I'm using for the buttons). They seem to be either icons or text, but not both.
Note also that adding this feature would break everyone's prior configurations, as I discovered when I added icon capabilities to KliqTune. It has to do with the way the launchers are stored.
If I find a way to actually do it, I'll consider it.
Please, add to this appearance menu:
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.TranslucentBackground)
Translucent Background
Please, use Plasma ToolTipManager.
THX!
Ratings & Comments
33 Comments
Hi admoore, I love this Plasmoid and used it for many year in KDE4. Is there a chance you're going to port it for Plasma 5 ?? This would be great!
Sorry, probably not. I haven't used KDE in years; I'm sure the API has changed a lot. The code is on github though if you want to fork or make a pull request.
I can't use it in kde 4.6.1. After logout script does not start.
I'm currently using it it kde 4.6.1; can you give me some more details? Do you have the necessary scriptengines installed? What distro?
pclinuxos the problem showes up when I want to configurate this plasmoid. Everything seems to be ok until i won't log out and log in again. When I leave defaults it works ok.
Ok, I have the same on kubuntu 10.04. Does it require anything besides pyQt4, pyKDE4?
It shouldn't require anything special; do you have the plasma-scriptengine-python package installed? Do other python plasma applets work? Also, can you post the output of "plasmoidviewer textlaunch" from a konsole?
"plasmoidviewer(5122)/libplasma Plasma::FrameSvg::resizeFrame: Invalid size QSizeF(0, 0) plasmoidviewer(5122)/libplasma Plasma::FrameSvg::resizeFrame: Invalid size QSizeF(0, 0)" As I said it works, although It dosen't starts after reboot. I have no idea what is wrong here, other python plasmoids (mpd plasma client) works.
I'm afraid I don't know what the problem could be. Those errors always come up, whether it works or no. I'll try on a couple of my other machines, to see if I can get it to fail for me. Otherwise I don't have much hope of debugging it.
The problem was caused by shutup plasmoid. Now it works like charm.
Just what I needed :-) Thank you
It's a great plasmoid, but there was one annoying thing for me: if there is a lot of launchers I need using this stupid scroller instead of resizing window (and the other thing about this, that such layouting is just ugly ;-)) So, I corrected UI files to use layouts. Plasmoid is here: http://slil.ru/29649173. Thanks for good work!
Thanks for fixing this! I normally code kde/qt stuff by hand, but I tried designer when I made the dialogs and I couldn't figure out how to make the widget expand. I just created a github repo for this project, but I am a total git newbie; maybe you can merge your code there? If not I'll try to figure it out when I have some free time. github is https://github.com/alandmoore/textlaunch-plasmoid
OK, I created pull request here. So you need just to apply this changing. Commands should be like this $ git remote add vkos git://github.com/vkos/textlaunch-plasmoid.git $ git fetch vkos $ git merge vkos/master $ git push origin master But better see http://help.github.com/pull-requests/, because I just try to rewrite the example from that page and I'm git newbie too.
Cool! Looks like github is having some trouble today, though; Hopefully your request will still be there when it comes back online!
Looks like github's little crash today lost your request. Can you resubmit it?
OK, I've submitted it again.
Thanks again. I merged your code and released a new plasmoid package.
I think some enviroment variables get lost. For example chromium starts in english, when my locale are set to italian. Also it starts with an ugly gtk style, while i configured another one.
My tests confirm that some environment variables are not set in whatever environment the plasmoid runs in. I don't know why, but if I get some time I'll look into it. In the meantime, you can set important variables in the command itself as a workaround, eg. LANG=it_IT.UTF-8 chromium
Great, i'm using it. But i would like it more if i could add a "tiny blob of pixels" (read, an icon) to left or right of the text.
I don't know if it can be done with plasma toolbuttons (which is what I'm using for the buttons). They seem to be either icons or text, but not both. Note also that adding this feature would break everyone's prior configurations, as I discovered when I added icon capabilities to KliqTune. It has to do with the way the launchers are stored. If I find a way to actually do it, I'll consider it.
Understood, but thanks anyway for considering it.
Please, add to this appearance menu: self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.TranslucentBackground) Translucent Background Please, use Plasma ToolTipManager. THX!
I'll look into it.