Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

davecs · 2022-04-09 22:30:33

Panel Clock — I would ask if it's possible to give one of the XFCE panel clocks an option to run a user-defined program, instead of merely showing a basic calendar? (I am currently doing this via a GenMon and a script).

Orage — Would it be possible that, if orage is not running, that it should be run in "not hidden" mode on the command "orage -t"? (I am using a short script to achieve this at present)

Orage — On Day View, would it be possible to make all-day events appear in a column? When I have several during the course of a week, it makes the window impossibly wide.

Thanks for your consideration.

ToZ · 2022-04-09 23:41:28

The best place to place these feature requests is at https://gitlab.xfce.org/explore/groups?sort=name_desc. This way, the developers will see them.

Tamaranch · 2022-04-10 09:36:00

A similar request already exists for Clock: https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-panel/-/issues/449.
No need to create a new one I think.
For the rest, feel free to submit requests at https://gitlab.xfce.org/apps/orage/-/issues.

davecs · 2022-04-10 16:06:46

Tamaranch wrote:

A similar request already exists for Clock: https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-panel/-/issues/449.
No need to create a new one I think.
For the rest, feel free to submit requests at https://gitlab.xfce.org/apps/orage/-/issues.

The "similar request" for Clock is a rather complicated one. I meant something simple like the LXDE panel clock:

(orage-flip is a simple script which starts Orage if it's not running, or does "orage -t" if it is.)

Then it could be used for Orage or anything else! If the program is left blank, you get a simple Calendar as now. That's what I had in mind.

Tamaranch · 2022-04-10 16:24:35

Yes indeed, this could be the subject of a separate feature request.
Please link this thread in the new request if you open one.

davecs · 2022-04-10 16:31:14

I've opened two of these, the Panel Clock and the Day View improvement. The other issue can be worked around by running Orage on startup (running hidden).

ToZ · 2022-04-10 19:11:34

davecs wrote:

Tamaranch wrote:
A similar request already exists for Clock: https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-panel/-/issues/449.
No need to create a new one I think.
For the rest, feel free to submit requests at https://gitlab.xfce.org/apps/orage/-/issues.
The "similar request" for Clock is a rather complicated one. I meant something simple like the LXDE panel clock:
https://i.ibb.co/wcLZC5D/Screenshot-fro … -35-18.png
(orage-flip is a simple script which starts Orage if it's not running, or does "orage -t" if it is.)
Then it could be used for Orage or anything else! If the program is left blank, you get a simple Calendar as now. That's what I had in mind.

In reviewing the code, it looks like the clock plugin has a hidden "command" property. What it does is it executes a preset command on double-click (it also hides the calendar popup). You can create this property via:

xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -p $(xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -lv | grep clock | awk '{print $1}')/command -t string -s "mousepad" -n

...change "mousepad" to whatever command you want to execute.

Edit: you can also create the property using xfce4-settings-editor.

Edit2: I've updated the clock online documentation page with this information.

Last edited by ToZ (2022-04-10 19:50:54)

davecs · 2022-04-10 22:04:47

ToZ wrote:

davecs wrote:
Tamaranch wrote:
A similar request already exists for Clock: https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-panel/-/issues/449.
No need to create a new one I think.
For the rest, feel free to submit requests at https://gitlab.xfce.org/apps/orage/-/issues.
The "similar request" for Clock is a rather complicated one. I meant something simple like the LXDE panel clock:
https://i.ibb.co/wcLZC5D/Screenshot-fro … -35-18.png
(orage-flip is a simple script which starts Orage if it's not running, or does "orage -t" if it is.)
Then it could be used for Orage or anything else! If the program is left blank, you get a simple Calendar as now. That's what I had in mind.
In reviewing the code, it looks like the clock plugin has a hidden "command" property. What it does is it executes a preset command on double-click (it also hides the calendar popup). You can create this property via:
xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -p $(xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -lv | grep clock | awk '{print $1}')/command -t string -s "mousepad" -n
...change "mousepad" to whatever command you want to execute.
Edit: you can also create the property using xfce4-settings-editor.
Edit2: I've updated the clock online documentation page with this information.

Works, but it would be much better to include it in a dialog box, and I find the layout settings in DateTime have the potential to look more attractive in layout. I really can't get Clock to look nice. And why the double click? I certainly think that the layout potential of DateTime is a better starting point, and it would be much better if it was an easy to use feature.

davecs · 2022-04-10 22:17:30

I've actually used a GenMon on my own desktop but I'm thinking of making it easier for other people.

I have a command in /usr/local/bin called orage-flip:

#!/bin/bash
pidof orage >/dev/null && orage -t || orage

Another command to lay out a calendar in Generic Monitor, in /usr/local/bin called orage-cal
The second echo would have to be changed for some locales including USA

#!/bin/bash
echo "<txt><b>`date +%X`</b>"
echo "<span size='x-small'>`date +%d/%m/%Y`</span></txt><txtclick>orage-flip</txtclick>"
echo "<tool>Day: `date +%A`"
echo "Week №: `date +%U`"
echo "Day of Year: `date +%j`</tool>"

And the genmon properties are:

Command: orage-cal
Label: unchecked, leave blank
Period(s): 1 second.
and I use font Bitstream Vera 12

Tamaranch · 2022-04-11 14:00:38

davecs wrote:

Works, but it would be much better to include it in a dialog box, and I find the layout settings in DateTime have the potential to look more attractive in layout. I really can't get Clock to look nice. And why the double click? I certainly think that the layout potential of DateTime is a better starting point, and it would be much better if it was an easy to use feature.

A project to merge Clock and DateTime has been proposed for GSoC: https://wiki.xfce.org/projects/gsoc/start#xfce4-panel.
So it could happen soon.

davecs · 2022-12-20 12:56:30

Now that XFCE4.18 has been released, I am very pleased with the addition of a Command box to the Clock settings. I still think that a small change can be made to Orage so that "orage -t" will start Orage in visible mode if it's not running already.

Last edited by davecs (2022-12-20 13:40:33)

Tamaranch · 2022-12-20 17:08:15

davecs wrote:

I still think that a small change can be made to Orage so that "orage -t" will start Orage in visible mode if it's not running already.

It will be the case in next release (it already works on git-master).

ToZ · 2022-12-20 17:08:43

davecs wrote:

I still think that a small change can be made to Orage so that "orage -t" will start Orage in visible mode if it's not running already.

You can use this command:

bash -c "pgrep orage && orage -t || orage &"

...to mimic that functionality.

davecs · 2022-12-20 22:07:01

ToZ wrote:

davecs wrote:
I still think that a small change can be made to Orage so that "orage -t" will start Orage in visible mode if it's not running already.
You can use this command:
bash -c "pgrep orage && orage -t || orage &"
...to mimic that functionality.

See my post 10 April 2022 above — I already have a workaround. But I'm pleased it will be fixed in the next version, as per Tamaranch's reply.

davecs · 2023-02-14 13:01:48

Thank you to the XFCE developers for the improvements in Orage 4.18 and XFCE 4.18. The functionality in the "Clock" panel applet now allows for much-improved layout, and the insertion of a chosen command when clicked. Orage itself now allows for the command to simply be "orage -t" in Clock's command box, with no complications as to whether it's already running or not. And Orage's "week view" can be fully contained on one screen, when there are multiple "all-day" events as each appears on a seperate line.

All-in-all, very impressive!

Tamaranch · 2023-02-14 15:25:34

cool

Xfce Forum

Sub domains

#1 2022-04-09 22:30:33

Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#2 2022-04-09 23:41:28

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#3 2022-04-10 09:36:00

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#4 2022-04-10 16:06:46

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#5 2022-04-10 16:24:35

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#6 2022-04-10 16:31:14

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#7 2022-04-10 19:11:34

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#8 2022-04-10 22:04:47

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#9 2022-04-10 22:17:30

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#10 2022-04-11 14:00:38

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#11 2022-12-20 12:56:30

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#12 2022-12-20 17:08:15

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#13 2022-12-20 17:08:43

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#14 2022-12-20 22:07:01

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#15 2023-02-14 13:01:48

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

#16 2023-02-14 15:25:34

Re: Feature request — Orage and Panel Clock

Board footer