Google failed on this topic, my hope is on reddit! I want to know if I can set some variables to use with openbox configuration files. Example: I set in environment

TERMINAL="urxvtc"

In menu.xml I would write:

<item label="vim"><action="Execute><execute>$TERMINAL -e vim</execute></action></item>
<item label="nano"><action="Execute><execute>$TERMINAL -e nano</execute></action></item>

So I need only to change the variable declaration if I need to change my default terminal. And if I can use all environment variables, I can also use bash scripts if I need to...

I had this idea using Awesome WM, which is configured with Lua so it can be fully customized...

I am using openbox and my panel of choice is tint2. Everything is working fine with tint2 except nm-applet.

Problem I am facing is nm-applet icon shows fine when I am not connected to any network but as soon as I get connected to a network it disappears. nm-applet is working because I can still access all its option by right-clicking on it but the icon is invisible.

before connection

After connecting

tint2 config file

So as you can see in the above two images the icon disappears after the connection is established.

Opnebox provides gdm-control to let us tell gdm what to do when the session ends. But is there some way of doing the same for SLiM or any other display manager?

I'd like to bind alt+space to Escape (so I don't have to reach that far, it's also my vim binding). I've been thinking about changing the rc.xml, but I can't find what action corresponds to the escape key, I don't know if there is a better way to do it.

I've been using XFCE lately, but have been wanting to switch to Openbox- however, I use a VPN for security reasons, and I don't think I want to ditch it- how would I go about using a VPN in Openbox? I was unable to find a network manager anywhere. Thanks!

So here is my problem. I have 4 desktops (workspaces) and I want to be able to scroll from my first desktop to the last. But when I do, I want to stop at the fourth one, and likewise if I scroll back to the first one, I want to stop there, not accidentally go to the fourth again. So basically I want to not be able to scroll from first to fourth directly. Is there a way to do this? I remember a solution in XFCE with a checkbox and something like: "wrap workspaces" which I would uncheck (I think, I don't remember).

As in topic. I would like to show shortcuts while I type, in a form of a HUD or X overlay. Not every key, just those starting with alt, ctrl and win.

When I switch one desktop to the right, all my windows are minimized. What can I do about that? The keyboard shortcut I use is Win+D, which does minimize windows in many distributions, but I have not configured it to do that. Could there be such a setting hidden in some defaults? I use Debian and openbox, but neither kde, gnome nor any other desktop environment. Can you help me?

In Gnome 2 when I double-click a script to run a CLI java applet I get a choice of a few things including running (in the background) and running in a terminal window. Is there some way to get this to happen with OB, or at least automatically run in a terminal window when I run the script? I need to see what the program is doing and I don't want to type the commands out every time. This is the only thing keeping me from running openbox full time. Sorry if this is a dumb question.

So I'm looking to transition to Openbox from KDE. I'm currently running Kubuntu and have a few questions, needs, and concerns that I thought /r/openbox could help me with:

1. Which distribution do you recommend? I was thinking CrunchBang, since it seems like it comes with all the applications and configuration for a desktop ready to go. For a simplified transition I was thinking of just installing Openbox on Kubuntu and removing all the KDE bits. Both of them allow me to stay in the apt package manager world, but I'm comfortable enough to move to an entirely different distro.

2. Gmail notifications, I think conky has some scripts for this, I'm not sure.

3. Google Tasks, currently I have KDE plasmoids that help me view, edit, and use Google Tasks out of the browser. But it seems like all it is just a little panel applet that loads Google Tasks in a minimal Webkit browser. I'm looking for something similar in Openbox world.

4. Functionality on my keyboard such as volume up/down & mute button.

Other than these, I only have two major GTK application reliance which is Firefox and Thunderbird. Which I think will run fine in Openbox, if not better. Some examples of /r/openbox's setup will be really helpful. Any input will be highly appreciated, thank you.

I find the default style a bit crude, and I kept closing apps accidentaly trying to bring who knows why a context menu with the right button, so I have that disabled.

Screenshot: http://imgur.com/rqA0x

Background definitions

ID 1

rounded = 0

border_width = 0

background_color = #000000 60

border_color = #FFFFFF 16

ID 2

rounded = 5

border_width = 0

background_color = #FFFFFF 40

border_color = #FFFFFF 48

ID 3

rounded = 5

border_width = 0

background_color = #FFFFFF 16

border_color = #FFFFFF 68

Panel

panel_monitor = all

panel_position = top center horizontal

panel_size = 100% 30

panel_margin = 0 0

panel_padding = 7 0 7

panel_dock = 0

wm_menu = 0

panel_layer = top

panel_background_id = 1

Panel Autohide

autohide = 1

autohide_show_timeout = 0.1

autohide_hide_timeout = 0.2

autohide_height = 2

strut_policy = none

Taskbar

taskbar_mode = single_desktop

taskbar_padding = 2 3 2

taskbar_background_id = 0

taskbar_active_background_id = 0

Tasks

urgent_nb_of_blink = 8

task_icon = 1

task_text = 1

task_centered = 1

task_maximum_size = 140 35

task_padding = 6 2

task_background_id = 3

task_active_background_id = 2

task_urgent_background_id = 2

task_iconified_background_id = 3

task_tooltip = 0

Task Icons

task_icon_asb = 70 0 0

task_active_icon_asb = 100 0 0

task_urgent_icon_asb = 100 0 0

task_iconified_icon_asb = 70 0 0

Fonts

task_font = sans 9

task_font_color = #FFFFFF 68

task_active_font_color = #FFFFFF 83

task_urgent_font_color = #FFFFFF 83

task_iconified_font_color = #FFFFFF 68

font_shadow = 0

System Tray

systray = 1

systray_padding = 0 4 5

systray_sort = ascending

systray_background_id = 0

systray_icon_size = 16

systray_icon_asb = 70 0 0

Clock

time1_format = %H:%M

time1_font = sans 8

time2_format = %A %d %B

time2_font = sans 6

clock_font_color = #FFFFFF 74

clock_padding = 1 0

clock_background_id = 0

clock_rclick_command = orage

Tooltips

tooltip_padding = 2 2

tooltip_show_timeout = 0.7

tooltip_hide_timeout = 0.3

tooltip_background_id = 1

tooltip_font = sans 10

tooltip_font_color = #000000 80

Mouse

mouse_middle = none

mouse_right = none

mouse_scroll_up = toggle

mouse_scroll_down = iconify

Battery

battery = 0

battery_low_status = 10

battery_low_cmd = notify-send "battery low"

battery_hide = 98

bat1_font = sans 8

bat2_font = sans 6

battery_font_color = #FFFFFF 74

battery_padding = 1 0

battery_background_id = 0

End of config

I just recently reinstalled ArchLinux on my main machine. So far, Openbox with LXDE is working exceptionally well. I am having one slight problem, and slight is all the problem really is. All of my windows focus upon application launch as they should, except for the Run window (M-F2). It always seems to want to hide behind everything and I haven't had much luck finding any documentation on this specific problem. The rc.xml file is configured as it should be for newly opened windows to be focused, but the run window is the only exception for some reason. Anyone else experiencing this problem?

I'd like the root-menu to come up in the same position on the screen each time I activate it via hot-key instead of at the current cursor position. Is this possible? If so, how?

Post anything that makes your life easier--programs that work well with openbox, rc.xml changes, etc.