Introduction
One of the biggest holdbacks for users of E17 that I have seen is the lack of a system tray. The system tray can have multiple functions, from notifying you of something to holding programs which would otherwise clutter up your window list. Iiirk doesn't do the former, but does the latter quite well. This how to will tell you how to use Iiirk as a psuedo system tray, and how to get around some of the drawbacks of it.
This how to will be split in 3 parts:
- Installation
- Configuration
- Getting around the drawbacks/li>
Here we go!
Installation
To install this, run gksu gedit through menu > Run Command.
Now, open /etc/.easy_e17.conf and make sure iiirk isn't in the skip list. If it is, remove the entry for iiirk, and then type easy_e17.sh --only=iiirk in the terminal, and it will check out and then install it for you. If it isn't, then you most likely already have it installed. Now, go on to the next section see how to configure Iiirk.
Configuration
Iiirk is really easy to configure, once you know how, that is. First off, load the Iiirk module through menu > Configuration > Modules, by selecting Iiirk under the section titled "Shelf", and clicking the "Load Module" button underneath the selection. In the example below, I use the Language module rather than the Iiirk module.
Now, to add Iiirk to your shelf, right click the shelf you want to add it to, and open (where x is the shelf number) shelf x > Configure this Shelf. Then, browse the list for Iiirk, select it, and click "Add to Shelf". Right click on the box that shows up on the panel, and you can move it to where you want it to be.
To use Iiirk, just drag the icon in the top right corner of your application to the box on your panel which represents the Iiirk module. In this example, I use Pidgin.
This will add it to your panel, and other applications that are spawned by Pidgin (such as a chat window). When you want to show or hide pidgin, click the icon in that box, and it will show or hide it. To make Pidgin be added when it starts up, right click on the Iiirk box (or your program's icon inside the box) and click Configure. Then, browse the list of applications in the list on the left, select the one you want to add, and click add. Then, click ok on that window, and click on on the previous window.
You can now use this as a system tray! Enjoy! It is recommended to read the section below in order to avoid some of the annoyances of the module.
Getting around the drawbacks
Since this module simulates the system tray, there are drawbacks. When E17 is restarted (such as when changing a theme), or sometimes when you start a fullscreen 3D game (doesn't always happen in the latter situation, but its good to do this just in case), the icons dissapear. This is because Enlightenment essentially reset when it is restarted, and Iiirk isn't smart enough yet to know that the windows are still there. To get around this, before you play a game or restart Enlightenment, make sure all the windows are up. Then, after you restart/play your game, add the applications back to the panel using the steps outlined above.
If you find any more bugs, please let me know! I will see if I can solve them or at least find a workaround. I hope you liked this how to.
smartboyathome
