Auxlaunch

Revision as of 20:34, 26 October 2008

Auxlaunch is a simple, "finger-friendly" app launcher and optional window-switcher. It appears when the "AUX" button is pressed. The top button changes when the buttons below are pressed.

Operation

Use the top button to launch an application, enter a group (menu), or switch to another window. To cycle through apps, groups, or windows, press the buttons below.

The top button changes function based on the most recently used adjust (arrow) buttons.

The app launch items are configured in a comma delimited text file (.auxlaunchrc). Items such as "Suspend", "Cancel", and "Quit" can be configured too. Auxlaunch uses stock GTK icons or images from files.

Note: Auxlaunch is, of course, very beta and, so far, only tested in Debian.

Configuration

Edit the ".auxlaunch" file.

1. Create a new group (for items that follow) with a line containing group name in quotes followed by a comma.
2. For item icons, specify a stock GTK icon identifier or a path to an existing image.
3. Use " &" at end of command to run in background.

Options

Use: "auxlaunch -option1 -option2". Command line options include:

• -dms = Include items from Debian Menu System.
• -nowm = No window manager. (Do not show window switching buttons).
• -right = Swap app-launchning and window-switching buttons (right for left).
• -hide = Cause AUX button to hide Auxlaunch (when it is displayed).
• -simple = Use "change" buttons for grp/app/win selecting (instead of up/down buttons).

Installation

Python and PyGTK are required. Package "wmctrl" is required for window (app) switching.

Download (from external site)

1. Extract all files to new directory.
2. At command line, run "./auxlaunch".
3. Press AUX button and enjoy!

Screenshots

Auxlaunch shown here in normal and "simple" modes. Both shown underneath the cool "openmoko-panel-plugin':

Latest Changes (for Version 0.5)

• Moved to using single, top-level, 'go" button for app-launch, group-change, win-switch.
• Added "group" feature to provide menu-like associations of apps. (For now, only one level.)
• Made DMS file parsing slightly more robust.
• Added "-hide" options to integrate Ben's AUX-button-minimize feature.
• Added "-simple' feature to simplify user interface.
• Reorganized code to try Model-View-Controller paradigm.
• More code comments!
• General code rewrite.