flpad-1.8 An evolved version of the standard Agenda launchpad application that is folder-based rather than the more menu-based original version. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- README: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by Derek K.T. Au (2000) Re-written by: Brian Webb (2001) Andreas Holzer (2003-2004) Enrique Vidal (2003-2004) Copyright (C) 2000 Agenda Computing Inc., 2001 Brian Webb 2003-2004 Andreas Holzer, 2004 Enrique Vidal This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Introduction ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In using the original Agenda LaunchPad interface there are several things which can be improved: - It is difficult to bring up the LaunchPad quickly when it is buried behind other applications, - it is confussing that LaunchPad default show all icons, - the menu interface for switching groups is unconfortable, - launchpad does most everything that the VR menu does except for switching between active windows. In order to make LaunchPad more efficient Brian Webb started the LIP project with the following useful modifications: - Add a notion of hierarchy so that LaunchPad first comes up with a list of the various application groups (as the first level of the vrsm menu). - Support a file browser type interface, so applications groups are like folders and you move into a folder by clicking on it. This then brings up the list of applications in the selected group. - Add a list of the "Active" windows similar to the sub-menu on vrsm. Following these ideas, launchpad evolved over time and has led to the current feature-full version. This version is now released under a different name: "flpad", for "Folder-based LaunchPAD". 1. How to run flpad ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ * Get the appropriate binary for your root disk (snow1.2 or snow1.4) or compile it yourself following directions in INSTALL. * Copy the binary to an adequate directory such as ~/bin or /usr/local/bin. * Add an entry such as "/usr/local/bin/flpad" to your ~/.wmx/.startup * For every applications (e.g. app) you want to launch, do the following: - Copy the app binary to an adequate bin directory (~/bin or /usr/local/bin) - Make a symbolic link somwere under ~/.wmx pointing to the app executable (or write an adequate script there to laucnh the app) - Copy the app icon pixmap to an adequate dir (~/pixmaps, /usr/share/pixmaps) - If necesary, add an entry to ~/wmx/.icons for the app icon - Make sure filenames of applications and images match in ~/wmx/.icons * You can specify many preferences into ~/.launchpad (see below) 2. Features in version 1.8 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - Improved battery icon and accurate battery meter borrowed from flbatt - Automatic asyncronous update of battery and date-time at wake-up/power-on (based on a SIGCONT signal sent by newer versions of gbm and apm-sleep -- old method still available by using -DOLD_UPDT compilation option) - Visual feedback to signal battery reading. A bug in the batt A/D driver, adif.c, may cause flpad to get blocked after a long hibernation period -- the feedback allows you to be aware of this situation, and overcome it by a simply pw-on/pw-off or touching the screen. - Overload statusbar widgets to launch apps by clicking and/or dragging - Large-font date and/or time in the statusbar with user-defined formats - Allows directory xpms: the user can define pixmaps for directories too - Improved, grey-level default icons and xpm file mapping - Enhancend use of the preferences file ".launchpad". Allows defining: - date-time format - battery type - battery and date-time refresh periods - programs to be launched by clicking/dragging statusbar widgets 3. Preferences file ($HOME/.launchpad) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It is a standard Flpda preferences file. It is compatible, both in name and in format, with the preferences file used by the conventional Vr3 launchpad. Used by flpad, it admits the following entries (admisible values and defaults are written between '{}' and '[]', respectively): - sound {0,1} [1] // 0 = mute, 1 = sound - battType {0,1,2} [2] // 0 = Alkaline, 1 = NiCd, 2 = NiMh - battRefresh {1-3767} [200] // seconds; should be > apm_sleep auto-off time !! - dateRefresh {1-3767} [20] // seconds - dateFormat {RFC-822 compliant date string} [%2H:%2M %a %d] // see man date - launchBatt {full path name} [/usr/bin/flbatt] - launchBatt1 {full path name} [/usr/bin/power] - launchDate {full path name} [/usr/bin/worldclock] - launchDate1 {full path name} [/usr/bin/datetime] - launchTool {full path name} [/usr/bin/fman] - launchTool1 {full path name} [/usr/bin/flmon] As an example, the following (unneeded) .launchpad file would correspond to the default setings hardcoded in flpad: ## ---------------------------- ## .launchpad for default flpad ## settings. Not needed unless ## you want to change something ## sound 1 battType 2 battRefresh 200 dateRefresh 20 dateFormat %2H:%2M %a %d launchBatt /usr/bin/flbatt launchBatt1 /usr/bin/power launchDate /usr/bin/worldclock launchDate1 /usr/bin/datetime launchTool /usr/bin/fman launchTool1 /usr/bin/flmon ## ---------------------------- 4. Comments ^^^^^^^^^^^ - Flpad becomes particularly useful if it is used in combination with a patched version of vrsm (vrsm_1.1), which can start flpad rather than the standard vrsm menu when clicking on the "@" silkbar button. - Alternatively, you can map flpad to another silkbar button which you don't need. For instance, asuming you have /usr/local/bin/flpad you can go to ~/.wmx, remove (or rename) the symbolic link ".to-do" and make a new one: "ln -s /usr/local/bin/flpad .to-do". - Mind the battRefresh period. It should be srtictly greater than apm_sleep auto-off time. This time, stored in /etc/apm-sleep.conf, is set, e.g. by the "power" application (auto-off time).