I'd quite like to create a panel app for the Xfce panel. (I know that Tcl/
Tk can create systray apps, but I want a panel button like "Launcher")

On Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:00:56 +0000, Mark Summerfield wrote:

>I'd quite like to create a panel app for the Xfce panel. (I know that Tcl/
>Tk can create systray apps, but I want a panel button like "Launcher")
**************************

I have no idea regarding integration with XFCE but making an independent
panel with buttons that do stuff in Tcl/Tk is not only possible, it's
very easy. I suspect it can even be more capable.

And you don't really need Gnocl for that but you may want to have a look
at it. Maybe it's relevant to your needs.

--
Luc
>>

On Wed, 10 Jul 2024 20:16:50 -0300, Luc wrote:

> On Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:00:56 +0000, Mark Summerfield wrote:
>
>>I'd quite like to create a panel app for the Xfce panel. (I know that
>>Tcl/
>>Tk can create systray apps, but I want a panel button like "Launcher")
> **************************
>
> I have no idea regarding integration with XFCE but making an independent
> panel with buttons that do stuff in Tcl/Tk is not only possible, it's
> very easy. I suspect it can even be more capable.
>
> And you don't really need Gnocl for that but you may want to have a look
> at it. Maybe it's relevant to your needs.

A tiny example would help...

Am 10.07.24 um 12:00 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
> I'd quite like to create a panel app for the Xfce panel. (I know that Tcl/
> Tk can create systray apps, but I want a panel button like "Launcher")

Hello,
(if I understood your question correctly)

Instructions for Creating a Tcl/Tk Panel Application for the Xfce Panel

Program Name: xfce_panel_app.tcl
(this name is not a default)

1.
Make the script executable:
chmod +x xfce_panel_app.tcl

2.
Script Directory:
The script should be placed in a directory. An example directory could be:
~/programs/panel_app

3.
Create the Desktop Entry:
In the directory ~/.local/share/applications/ (default)
or /usr/share/applications/ (for system-wide availability),

Create a text file with the .desktop extension.
The file name could be xfce_panel_app.desktop.
The content of the file should be as follows:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=xfce panel app
Comment=Tcl/Tk Panel App
Exec=/home/greg/programs/panel_app/xfce_panel_app.tcl
Icon=utilities-terminal
Terminal=false
Categories=Utility;
StartupNotify=false

4.
Completion:
The application can now be found in the user menu under Utility.

5.
Adding to the Panel:
Right-click on the panel.
Select "Add New Items".
Choose "Launcher".
Configure the new launcher by selecting the previously created desktop
entry.

further information:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/desktop_entries
or
entry desktop xfce
or
/usr/share/applications
or
man exo-desktop-item-edit
cd ~/.local/share/applications/
exo-desktop-item-edit xfce_panel_app.tcl

best regards
Gregor

On Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:19:58 +0200, greg wrote:
[snip]
Sorry, I think we are at cross-purposes.

You showed how to add something to the existing Xfce Launcher.

But what I want is to create my own launcher which I can add to the task
bar to _replace_ Xfce's default Launcher.

On Thu, 11 Jul 2024 10:36:49 +0000, Mark Summerfield wrote:

>On Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:19:58 +0200, greg wrote:
>[snip]
>Sorry, I think we are at cross-purposes.
>
>You showed how to add something to the existing Xfce Launcher.
>
>But what I want is to create my own launcher which I can add to the task
>bar to _replace_ Xfce's default Launcher.
**************************

proc p.begin {} {
package require Tk
package require tile
wm withdraw .
set ::w [toplevel .xxx -background #c0c0c0]
wm title $::w "XXXXXXXX"
tk appname "XXXXXXXX"
wm geometry $::w 200x60+20+20
wm resizable $::w 0 0
bind $::w <Escape> {exit 0}
wm protocol $::w WM_DELETE_WINDOW {exit 0}
# end of proc p.begin ====================
}

p.begin
set f1 [frame $::w.frame1]
pack $f1 -fill both -expand 1

set b1 [button $f1.button1]
$b1 configure -background blue -foreground white
$b1 configure -text "click me"
$b1 configure -command {
tk_messageBox -title "This is button 1" -message "Thanks!"
exit
} pack $b1 -side left

set b2 [button $f1.button2]
$b2 configure -background green -foreground #FFFFFF
$b2 configure -text "launch xclock"
$b2 configure -command {
exec xclock
exit
} pack $b2 -side left

--
Luc
>>

To clarify: I want to write a Tcl/Tk app that presents itself as a
menubutton (shown as an icon) that appears in the Xfce taskbar.
I don't know if this is possible since it may require using some Xfce C
library.

Am 12.07.24 um 09:13 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
> To clarify: I want to write a Tcl/Tk app that presents itself as a
> menubutton (shown as an icon) that appears in the Xfce taskbar.
> I don't know if this is possible since it may require using some Xfce C
> library.

The solution is only an approximation:

#!/usr/bin/env tclsh

package require Tk

# position xfce panel, horizontal or vertical
# https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfconf/xfconf-query
# xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -lv
if {[catch {exec xfconf-query -vc xfce4-panel -p /panels/panel-1/mode}
msg ]} {
set xpos [winfo pointerx .]
set ypos [winfo pointery .]
} elseif {$msg eq "0"} {
set xpos [winfo pointerx .]
set ypos 0
} else {
set xpos 0
set ypos [winfo pointery .]
}

wm title . "Custom Menu App"
frame .mainWindow
menu .menubar
..menubar add cascade -label "Menu" -menu .menu
menu .menu
..menu add command -label "Option 1" \
-command {tk_messageBox -message "Option 1 selected"}
..menu add command -label "Option 2" \
-command {tk_messageBox -message "Option 2 selected"}
..menu add separator
..menu add command -label "Exit" -command {exit}
.. configure -menu .menubar

pack .mainWindow -expand true -fill both
wm geometry . 60x10+$xpos+$ypos
wm attributes . -topmost 1
wm attributes . -alpha 0.5

if {0} {
Adding the script to the XFCE4 panel:
Create a launcher in the XFCE4 panel that runs the Tcl/Tk script.
Right click on the XFCE4 panel and select "Panel" > "Panel preferences".
Go to the "Items" tab and click "Add".
Select "Launcher" and click "Add".
Find the new launcher in the list and click "Edit".
Click "Add a new empty item" and then click "Edit".
Enter a name for the launcher, e.g. "Custom Menu".
Enter the path to your Tcl/Tk script in the "Command" field, e.g.
/path/to/custom_menu.tcl.
}