The Labs.Com X11 Lab MyDesk

The Labs - Design & Functionality For The Net

PerlTK Script implementing Basic Desktop on X11

written by René K. Müller

1. Introduction
2. Download
3. Installation
4. Usage
5. Screenshots

Since years I have been expecting a desktop-system with file-browser, CDE was one commercial package, and KDE and Gnome are another desktop-systems. Since I like PerlTK, I thought to write something small like MyDesk.

You can create, move, delete notes, directory and they are displayed on the root window. A double click opens them, and allows you to handle them.

MyDesk 2. Download

mydesk-package.tar.gz (most recent always) perl-source and required icons.

$MyVersion: 0.016 - Wed Aug 18 12:10:19 EDT 1999 - kiwi

You need Perl5 and PerlTK.

MyDesk 3. Installation

To run it, you need to tell your window-manager to not handle all MyDesk created windows, that way they appear nicely as icons. If you run AfterStep you need to add in ~/.steprc this:

Style "Mydesk" NoTitle, NoHandles, StaysOnTop, Sticky

and then change Popup "Windows Ops" according:

Popup "Window Ops"

Title  "Window Ops"

Exec   "Create Folder"   exec mkdir .MyDesktop/New_Folder

Exec   "Create Notice"   exec touch .MyDesktop/New_Note

....

This will allow you to create on the fly new notes or folders (folder are displayed but cannot opened yet, next version then).

Other window-managers (wm) require other control statements.

MyDesk 4. Usage

Put mydesk in your wm-startup file, so it starts whenever you start the window-manager as well.

With the few lines you added in .steprc (or regarding control file for your window-manager) you can create new notes or folders. Click on the name so you can rename them, finish with hitting RETURN to confirm new name.

DOUBLE-CLICK on the icon opens the note or folder. LEFT-MOUSE allows you to move the icon whereever you like it on the screen, the new position is immediatly stored and next boot it will jsut there at the last place you put it.

MyDesk 5. Screenshots

I use to run AfterStep window-manager with some of my own backgrounds.

MyDesk running with few notes and two folders.

Full Screen (50% reduced)

                                                                                                                                   

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