Desktop Environments

Everthing to do about Desktop Environments, including LXDE, XFCE, KDE and Gnome

• Getting Cursor Pointer Theme for LXDE
• LXDE Volume Keybinding
• LXDE Blueproximity Settings
• Auto Suspend USB
• LXDE Visual Artifacts when Switching from Desktops with Chrome

Getting Cursor Pointer Theme for LXDE

1. Installing the package xcursor-themes
2. Then go to Preferences > Customize Look and Feel
3. Select your cursor pointer theme under Mouse Cursor tab

LXDE Volume Keybinding

Add the following lines to ~/.config/openbox/lxde-rc.xml:

<keybind key="XF86AudioMute"> 
  <action name="Execute"> 
    <command>amixer sset Master toggle</command> 
  </action> 
</keybind> 
<keybind key="XF86AudioRaiseVolume"> 
  <action name="Execute"> 
    <command>amixer sset Master 5%+</command> 
  </action> 
</keybind> 
<keybind key="XF86AudioLowerVolume"> 
  <action name="Execute"> 
    <command>amixer sset Master 5%-</command> 
  </action>
</keybind>

Issue command => openbox --restart

LXDE Blueproximity Settings

Locking Command: xscreensaver-command -activate
Unlock Command: pkill xscreensaver
Proximity Command: xscreensaver-command -time || daemonize /usr/bin/xscreensaver -no-splash
Daemonize Utility: To stop blueproximity from hanging when using the proximity command, it requires the daemonize command (http://software.clapper.org/daemonize/). Using "xscreensaver -no-splash &" or "xscreensaver -no-splash" will cause blueproximity to hang.

Auto Suspend USB

There are 2 settings that needs to changed:

1. Add usbcore.autosuspend=0 usbcore.autosuspend_delay_ms=-1 to /boot/grub/grub.cfg kernel param
2. Disable monitor power manager control in xfce4-power-manager settings
3. Install acpid
4. Add the following udev rules to /etc/udev/rules.d/99-usb-autosuspend.rules:

   ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", TEST=="power/control",
   ATTR{power/control}="on"
   ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", TEST=="power/autosuspend",
   ATTR{power/autosuspend}="0"
   ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", TEST=="power/autosuspend_delay_ms",
   ATTR{power/autosuspend_delay_ms}="-1"
   

LXDE Visual Artifacts when Switching from Desktops with Chrome

LXDE Visual Artifacts when Switching Desktops. Install a composite manager will remove the artifacts, below is a list of composite managers:

• xcompmgr - a minimal alternative to Compiz
• Compton - A bug-fixed fork of dcompmgr, which is a fork of xcompmgr
• Cairo Compmgr (Cairo Composite Manager) - a compositing add-on for existing window managers. It uses Cairo), a vector graphics library also used in GTK+.
• Unagi Compositing Manager - a compositing manager which can be used along with an existing window manager. It uses the XCB library. I used Compton for my composite manager:

Install compton package Add @compton -b to the end of /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart

References:

1. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Compton