Re: Default Desktop/Panel Configuration

[William Jon McCann <mccannwj pha jhu edu>]

Michael Duvall wrote:
> Hello List,
>
> Although my question may apply to 2.4 and 2.6 releases, I'm working with 
> a Red Hat distribution running Gnome 2.2.2.
>
> As you may know, the default desktop panel under the Red Hat 
> distribution includes the Main Menu, Mozilla, Evolution Mail, OpenOffice 
> Icons, Print Manager, and so forth.  It is my desire/need to develop an 
> entirely different/customized default desktop environment for users.  I 
> have spent considerable time researching this, and at this point in time 
> it is my conclusion that no documentation exists for an administrator to 
> configure Gnome in this manner.
>
> While the Gnome Desktop System Administration Guide describes usage of 
> the gconftool, it provides little (if any) information to build or 
> customize the "vanilla" desktop environment.
>
> I prefer to solve my own problems, but if anyone out there can point me 
> to where I can find a tutorial, further documentation, or even an 
> after-market publication that I can reference....  PLEASE let me know.

Hi,

http://www.gnome.org/learn/admin-guide/2.2/gconf-8.html#gconf-13

I've attached a script that I run from RedHat Kickstart to configure my 
systems.

Hope that helps,
Jon

#!/bin/sh

PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
export PATH

logMessage "Changing GNOME panel defaults" 
# Usage is: set_key <type> <key> <value> <extra options if any>

function set_key() 
{
  TYPE="$1"
  shift
  KEY="$1"
  shift
  VALUE="$1"
  shift
  OTHER_ARGS="$*"
  # only use direct if gconfd is not running
  if [ `pgrep gconfd | wc -l` = 0 ]; then
    logNotice "  making changes directly (gconfd is not running)"
    GCONFTOOL_OPTS="--direct --config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults"
  else
    GCONFTOOL_OPTS=""
  fi

  gconftool-2 ${GCONFTOOL_OPTS} --owner=panel $OTHER_ARGS --type "$TYPE" --set "$KEY" "$VALUE"
}

# Define the number of panels, the number of launchers, and the number of applets 
set_key list /apps/panel/profiles/default/general/panel_id_list [top,bottom] --list-type string
set_key list /apps/panel/profiles/default/general/object_id_list [mozilla,mozilla_mail,terminal] --list-type string
set_key list /apps/panel/profiles/default/general/applet_id_list [mixer,load_monitor,clock,show_desktop,tasklist,notification,pager] --list-type string

# Define the characteristics of the first panel 
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/top/panel_type menu-panel
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/top/panel_size panel-size-x-small
#set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/top/screen_edge panel-edge-bottom
#set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/top/hide_buttons_enabled false
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/top/panel_background_type no-background

# Define the characteristics of the second panel
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/panel_type edge-panel
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/panel_size panel-size-x-small
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/screen_edge panel-edge-bottom
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/hide_buttons_enabled true
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/hide_button_pixmaps_enabled false
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/panels/bottom/panel_background_type no-background

# Define the mozilla launcher
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla/object_type launcher-object
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla/launcher_location 'applications:///Internet/redhat-web.desktop'
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla/panel_id top

# Define the mozilla mail launcher
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla_mail/object_type launcher-object
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla_mail/launcher_location 'applications:///Internet/mozilla-mail.desktop'
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/mozilla_mail/panel_id top

# Define the terminal launcher
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/terminal/object_type launcher-object
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/terminal/launcher_location 'applications:///System/gnome-terminal.desktop'
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/objects/terminal/panel_id top

# Define the Mixer applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/mixer/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/mixer/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_MixerApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/mixer/panel_id top
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/mixer/position 196
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/mixer/panel_right_stick true

# Define the Load Monitor applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/load_monitor/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/load_monitor/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_MultiLoadApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/load_monitor/panel_id top
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/load_monitor/position 170
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/load_monitor/panel_right_stick true

# Define the Clock applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/clock/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/clock/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_ClockApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/clock/panel_id top
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/clock/panel_right_stick true

# Define the Tasklist applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_TasklistApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/panel_id bottom
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/position 33
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/panel_right_stick false
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/tasklist/prefs/minimum_size 450

# Define the Show Desktop applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/show_desktop/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/show_desktop/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_ShowDesktopApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/show_desktop/panel_id bottom
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/show_desktop/position 0
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/show_desktop/panel_right_stick false

# Define the Notification area applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/notification/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/notification/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_NotificationAreaApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/notification/panel_id bottom
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/notification/position 600
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/notification/panel_right_stick false

# Define the Pager applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/pager/object_type bonobo-applet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/pager/bonobo_iid OAFIID:GNOME_PagerApplet
set_key string /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/pager/panel_id bottom
set_key bool /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/pager/panel_right_stick true
set_key int /apps/panel/profiles/default/applets/pager/prefs/num_rows 1