ROX: How to make the "Rename" box wider

[MochiMoppel]

One thing that drives me nuts when using ROX-Filer is the absurdly narrow Rename box. Same with the "Copy" (Duplicate) box.
Most of the time there is not enough space to show the complete path. Not even the complete basename is displayed as only the basename without extension is highlighted, which lets the extension slip past the right edge. But the extension is what I often want to change, which means that I have to scroll right or resize the whole box. Sure, it's only a small inconvenience, but why not make the box wider from the start?

Can be done - with a fairly new JWM version.

Step1: Check your JWM version (type jwm -v into a console). Version should be 2.3.7 or newer
Step2: Open the file /root/.jwm/jwmrc-personal and add following lines:

Code: Select all

<Group>
	<Class>Savebox</Class>
	<Option>width:500</Option>
</Group>

Where to put it? If the file contains already <Group> section, add it to the existing ones. If in doubt, add it just before the final </JWM> tag. Save the file.
Step3: In a console type jwm -restart and press Enter.

That's all. In a ROX-Filer window rightclick on a file and try the Rename menu. Should now be wider. Affects also the Copy (may be called Duplicate in newer versions) and Link boxes. Tested in Xenialpup.

rox_rename_box.png (68.14 KiB) Viewed 1948 times

[HerrBert]

Envialble...

No luck on Slacko64 7.0. It has JWM v2.3.6.

Workaround: I added 30 spaces to translated strings in ROX-Filer.po and compiled the .mo.
Since i made an additional langpack in german, i know how to do this

Looks a little cluttered but does what i expected.

[misko_2083]

@MochiMoppel here's an old script from 2018 with yad for renaming with the thunar custom action. https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=49287#p49287
Is there a way to do that with ROX?

[geo_c]

@MochiMoppel

Very nice and simple improvement! Painless modification. That small box always frustrated me. Thanks!

[MochiMoppel]

That small box always frustrated me.

That's ROX. Many clever ideas with a lousy interface
Did you notice that the menu has items like Copy, Link and Rename, but not Move? Only if you know that Rename and Move are 2 names for the same thing you would realize that the Rename box doubles as a Move box. But how intuitive it that? Would have been so easy to present a dedicated box named "Move".

Or how many users realize that the icon on the top is not just decoration? I bet nobody expects that this icon can be dragged and dropped. In case of the Rename/Move box: Drag the icon to a target directory and the file will be moved. This is useful when a file with this name already exists in the target because the box allows you to change the name before dragging it, something not possible with the usual drag&drop. It also allows you to do drag&drop within the same window because the box stays on while you can change to the target directory or open another window.

[mikewalsh]

Hm.

Instructional as always.....and just as useful. Nice one, @MochiMoppel .

Thanks!

Mike.

[Chelsea80]

@ MochiMoppel

Thank you.

Makes life so much easier.

Works in Dpup Stretch 7.5.

JWM v2.3.7.

Very much appreciated.

Best regards

Chelsea80

[rockedge]

@MochiMoppel

How would I do the same savebox expansion on Rox filer running on KLV-Airedale and the xfce4 desktop???

[MochiMoppel]

@rockedge I know neither KLV-Airedale nor xfce4.
Judging from the documentation of xfwm4 (if that's the wm you are using) I assume that it's not possible. Xfwm seems to have a policy not to interfere with or overrule an application's settings.

[rockedge]

@MochiMoppel I wanted to see if there is something similar in the XFCE4 desktop to force a resize of the Rox filer save or rename boxes. Whether you know KLV-Airedale or not is inconsequential.

[Governor]

Wow, this worked!
I set my Rename box to 700 because I have some long paths.

Kudos!