xfskin(1)

NAME

xfskin, version 0.2.x

SYNOPSYS

xfskin

DESCRIPTION

xfskin is a TCL script to manage skins (or "themes") for
xfce.

WORKING

It applies changes read from a skin file directly into the
xfce configuration files, than restarts xfwm to commit the
changes.

INSTALLING

After starting xfskin for the first time, a directory
~/xfskins is created, where the skins will be stored. To
add a downloaded (.tar.gz) skin, use the [file/add] menu to add the downloaded skin. xfskin will extract the skin
on the correct location & display it in the list.

CREATING

To create a skin, just press the create button on the main
window. When you create a skin, please note that you have
to enter at least a title, an author name and one comment
line befor it is accepted. When a skin is created, a
.tar.gz file of this skin is placed in ~/xfskins, ready
for upload.

DELETING

To delete a skin, just press the delete button on the main
window. When pressing the delete button in the main win
dow, when there are no themes available, the xfskins
directory wil be deleted & recreated, what results in a
'new' installation, but also removes all (.tar.gz) files
in the ~/xfskins directory. (so be carefull with that
option, you're warned!)

SKINS

Ok, so a skin is a collection of settings that together
change the looks of XFCE. A skin does not include menu
items or other settings that are system (or user) depend
ing. To see what settings are included in a skin, see
section SKINFILE below.

The skins are stored in the xfskins directory in your
home. The name of a skin is the name of the directory the
settings are stored in. A skin is typically contains the
following file & directories:

~/xfskins/<skinname>/<skinname>.xfce This file contains the various settings this skin makes to
XFCE.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/backdrop In this subdirectory the backdrop (if any) is stored.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/icons The icons used by this skin are stored here

~/xfskins/<skinname>/sounds Euh... A subdir to store the sounds used by this skin.

~/xfskins/<skinname>/texture If there's a texture used, it's placed here.

CONVENTIONS

To create a skin standard, there has to be a rule, saying
which item on the XFCE panel stands for which application
group. Otherwise you could end up with an icon using a
Netscape image, pointing to your trashcan. So, to get
somewhere i choose to use the 'default' symbols of XFCE as
a reference: the internal icons of xfce. From left to
right there are the following icons:

[xftree] files related, starting xftree, or

whatever file-browser you like
(default xftree)

[terminal] starts your terminal (default xfterm)

[mail] starts your mail client or browser

(default netscape)

[editor] starts your text editor (default abi

word)

[calendar] starts your calendar, PIM or whatever

(nothing default)

[games] starts your games (no default)

[network] opens your network connections

[graphics] opens your pic editors (xv default)

[trash] this one is a little odd, it default

icon points to sound, while the
default app points to xftrash. I
choose to use trash as default.
(default app: xftrash)

[printer] opens xfprint by default

[configuration] opens various configuration applica

tions

[tools] opens default tools & utilities.

SKINFILE

The skinfile, is a config name with the same name as the
skin, using the extension .xfce. It contains the following
settings: (not that you'll need them, just for those who
want to edit a skin by hand)

author= well, who made the skin?

version= with what version of xfskin was it made

(for future compatible?)

comment1= where is it about

comment2= line 2 for the ones who have a lot to say

comment3= an extra line for those who have even more

to say

image= the backdrop used in this skin. only the

name, paths are added by xfskin

style= style of the backdrop: stretch, tiled or

auto. if omitted, auto is used

newdesk= sound made when switched to a new desk

addwin= sound made when a window is added

raisewin= sound made when a window is raised

lowerwin= sound made when a window is lowered

configwin= sound made when a window is configured

focuschange= sound made when a window focus is changed

destroywin= sound made when a window is closed

iconify= sound made when a window is iconified

de-iconify= sound made when a window is de-iconified

shade= sound made when a window is shaded

un-shade= sound made when a window is un-shaded

maximize= sound made when a window is maximized

de-maximize= sound made when a window is de-maximized

startup= sound made on xfce startup

shutdown= sound made on xfce shutdown

unknown= sound made on unknown events

files-icon= icon nr 1 on the XFCE bar, left to right,

assuming 12 popups. (see CONVENTIONS sec
tion above for explanation)

term-icon= icon nr 2 on the XFCE bar

browse-icon= icon nr 3 on the XFCE bar

edit-icon= icon nr 4 on the XFCE bar

sched-icon= icon nr 5 on the XFCE bar

games-icon= icon nr 6 on the XFCE bar

net-icon= icon nr 7 on the XFCE bar

graph-icon= icon nr 8 on the XFCE bar

trash-icon= icon nr 9 on the XFCE bar

print-icon= icon nr 10 on the XFCE bar

config-icon= icon nr 11 on the XFCE bar

utils-icon= icon nr 12 on the XFCE bar

help-icon= Help icon (right most) on the XFCE bar

clocktype= Display an analog or digital clock. Analog

is default.

24h= Display the clock in military mode.

Defaults to yes.

menufont= Font used for the root menus.

iconfont= Font used for the icons.

titlefont= Font used for window titles.

active-gradient=

Use a gradient on active window (only
Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes

inactive-gradient=

Use a gradient on inactive window (only
Xfce_engine IFAIK), defaults to yes

mouse= color of the mouse pointer

statusbar= color of gtk status-bars

clock= color of the clock & xfce buttons (also 3rd

desktop, when not using a backdrop)

inactiveleft= left color of inactive window, when usng

gradient titlebars.

root= color of the first desktop, also used as

selection color

activeright= right color of the active window. Also the

color of the second desktop.

activeleft= left color of the active window.

panel= color of the xfce panel, border etc.

engine= used theme engine (on the Panel tab of the

Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE

win-engine= used window border style (on the Window tab

of the Setup dialog), defaults to XFCE

font= Default font

texture= Used texture.

BUGS

One of the 'bugs' i now know of, is that the XFCE panel
sometimes doesn't show up when switching to a skin without
a backdrop, for example the empty skin. Just restart xfwm
(using the root menu) to have a work-around.

author
H.R. ter Veer (terveer@subdimension.com)

SEE ALSO

xfce, xfwm

xfskin(1)