Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

michja · 2018-12-14 11:32:59

Hey,

I'm trying to add a gradient to transparency for my top panel. The idea is a 32px solid colour bar at screen top with the background colour continuing on below and fading to transparent.

Here's the concept...

I've tried having two separate panels. One 32px, solid colour, systray buttons etc all in here. And a 2nd panel just for the background sitting below it which can be 96px or whatever height fits. This works but there's a delay between the panels appearance so it breaks the illusion and it's possible to keep the transparency panel open once the main panel has closed.

Is there a way to add bottom padding to a single XFCE panel?

Thanks,
Michael

Last edited by michja (2018-12-14 12:02:46)

ToZ · 2018-12-15 03:36:01

If you are using the newer Gtk3-based xfce4-panel, then you can use something like this (~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css):

#pulseaudio-button image { padding-bottom: 17px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.4); }
#xfce4-notification-plugin image { padding-bottom: 17px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.35); }
#sn-button image { padding-bottom: 17px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.9); }
#xfce4-power-manager-plugin image { padding-bottom: 17px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.35); }
#clock-button label { padding-bottom: 17px; }
#whiskermenu-button * { padding-bottom: 10px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.4); }
 
#launcher-13 image { padding-bottom: 17px; -gtk-icon-transform: scale(0.4); }
#tasklist-3 button { padding-bottom: 17px; }

...to create padding at the bottom (note: panel size is 48).

Important to note is that this is based on Xubuntu 18.10 and as of that version of xfce4-panel, neither the tasklist nor launchers have CSS element names assigned to them so you have to identify them properly by name (in the format of "plugin-number"). Therefore, if you have more than one tasklist, you'll need to create a line for each tasklist and if you have more that one launcher, you'll need to create a line for each launcher.

I've also only worked on the plugins noted above. If you have other ones, we'll need to get the configuration statements for them as well - but it's hard to tell which ones you are using.

michja · 2018-12-15 11:53:54

Awesome, thanks!

I'm on 16.04 at the mo.
Will come back to this when I make the jump.

ToZ · 2018-12-15 13:15:15

michja wrote:

I'm on 16.04 at the mo.

Then this won't work for you. Starting with 18.10 does the version of xfce4-panel capable of this kind of configuration exist. I'll see if I can replicate this in GTK2 (16.04).

Edit: Sorry, it doesn't appear that this can be done with GTK2 - the version that your panel and some panel plugins are built with.

Last edited by ToZ (2018-12-15 13:49:18)

mint4all · 2018-12-15 17:50:29

michja wrote:

Awesome, thanks!
I'm on 16.04 at the mo.
Will come back to this when I make the jump.

Greetings! During my own explorations re. gtk-themes, and having downloaded & examined quite a few, i've gleaned a small library of gradient-style bitmaps designed for background-theming of xfce's gtk2-based panels. Alas, i can't recall were i found this (it was included as "bonus" in a gtk-2 theme that i have deleted long ago). Here's a screenshot of a panel-mockup i created for you:

These bitmaps come in 11 gradient-style colors (the one above is titled "Nimbus"), 9 hights starting with 24px, for both horizontal & vertical panels. Note: while these bitmaps seem to have the gradient you're after, they do not have transparency. If interested, i'll post the link to my archived .zip file.

Cheers, m4a

Last edited by mint4all (2018-12-15 17:52:03)

Xfce Forum

Sub domains

#1 2018-12-14 11:32:59

Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

#2 2018-12-15 03:36:01

Re: Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

#3 2018-12-15 11:53:54

Re: Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

#4 2018-12-15 13:15:15

Re: Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

#5 2018-12-15 17:50:29

Re: Add bottom padding to XFCE panel

Board footer