xfce-question and -problem

[Niels Kobschätzki]

Hi,

since there are plans to move away from kde to xfce (or is it now
lxde?), I am trying to use xfce more.
But I have a problem. I usually start my programs via krunner or in i3
via dmenu. I can just start typing something like: untrusted:
google-chrome, hit enter and the application will start if it is in the
added shortcuts - usually typing only a couple of characters already
works.
With the Application Launcher that doesn't really work.

There are no suggestions when starting to type a domain-name, not even
when the domain-name is completed. When I type something completely like
"untrusted: gnome-terminal", the Launcher will on hitting enter show a
red icon left from the application-name but nothing else happens. I can
click on the right icon in the input field and a menu with the domains
and applications appear. When I start typing, I will see how the list
gets reduced. But there is still no tab-completion and I can "reach" the
apps only by clicking on them. And they still won't start. The Launcher
works for me only with dom0-applications. Am I doing something wrong?

Now my questions:
- Is there any way to get the Exposé-mode in xfce like in KDE where I see all my open applications at once?
- Is there a way to get thumbnails from my applications in the
app-switcher?
- Or would I need to install something like compiz for that?

Please consider using xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin as the default menu. It's
search even works in contrast to the Application Launcher.
Right now it isn't installed in a default.

Niels

P.s.: KDE5 runs for me without any problems ;)

[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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On Sat, Jul 02, 2016 at 07:19:06AM +0200, Niels Kobschätzki wrote:
> Hi,
>
> since there are plans to move away from kde to xfce (or is it now
> lxde?), I am trying to use xfce more.
> But I have a problem. I usually start my programs via krunner or in i3
> via dmenu. I can just start typing something like: untrusted:
> google-chrome, hit enter and the application will start if it is in the
> added shortcuts - usually typing only a couple of characters already
> works.
> With the Application Launcher that doesn't really work.
>
> There are no suggestions when starting to type a domain-name, not even
> when the domain-name is completed. When I type something completely like
> "untrusted: gnome-terminal", the Launcher will on hitting enter show a
> red icon left from the application-name but nothing else happens. I can
> click on the right icon in the input field and a menu with the domains
> and applications appear. When I start typing, I will see how the list
> gets reduced. But there is still no tab-completion and I can "reach" the
> apps only by clicking on them. And they still won't start. The Launcher
> works for me only with dom0-applications. Am I doing something wrong?

Instead of clicking on that icon, you can press down arrow. The same way
you can choose application from there. So, you can enter fragment of
domain name (not necessary its beginning!), then choose application
using arrows.

> Now my questions:
> - Is there any way to get the Exposé-mode in xfce like in KDE where I see all my open applications at once?

You can have applications from all the desktops in Alt-tab when you
enable it in "Cycling" tab of "Window Manager Tweaks".

Or you can simply middle-click on empty space - personally I find this
really convenient.

> - Is there a way to get thumbnails from my applications in the
> app-switcher?

If you enable composition ("Window Manager Tweaks"->"Compositor"),
Alt-tab will include window contents.

> - Or would I need to install something like compiz for that?
>
> Please consider using xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin as the default menu. It's
> search even works in contrast to the Application Launcher.
> Right now it isn't installed in a default.

Thanks for the suggestion, will try this :)

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
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[Niels Kobschätzki]

Ooh…that works. Thanks a lot. This already improves xfce a lot for me.

>> Now my questions:
>> - Is there any way to get the Exposé-mode in xfce like in KDE where I see all my open applications at once?
>
> You can have applications from all the desktops in Alt-tab when you
> enable it in "Cycling" tab of "Window Manager Tweaks".
> Or you can simply middle-click on empty space - personally I find this
> really convenient.

I was thinking more in terms of the documentation for a secure use of the full
screen use:
"which are similar to Mac’s “Expose” effect, and which can be used to immediately detect potential “GUI forgery”, as they cannot be intercepted by any of the VM"

But cycling through everything improves it already. The middle click solution is
not really feasible for me. I run a lot of my stuff full screen since my display(s) have a rather low resolution (internal 1280x800; external when connected 1440x900).

>> - Is there a way to get thumbnails from my applications in the
>> app-switcher?
>
> If you enable composition ("Window Manager Tweaks"->"Compositor"),
> Alt-tab will include window contents.

Thanks

>
>> - Or would I need to install something like compiz for that?
>>
>> Please consider using xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin as the default menu. It's
>> search even works in contrast to the Application Launcher.
>> Right now it isn't installed in a default.
>
> Thanks for the suggestion, will try this :)

It's really good. And in contrast to KDE you can assign Super to the
menu-button. For those people like me who are accustomed using their windows-key
because they can't get rid of Windows on some of their machines :/

Niels