Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Hi amethyst.

I thought I'd take a wack at providing an updated version. It was easy enough to extract the pet, then delete /usr/local/bin/xdotool. [xdotool-64bit is already installed into my bionicpup64]. There was no /usr/lib/libxdo.so.? in the pet. [That library --and locations-- found on the xdotool pet I extracted before writing the prior post is likely later developments of xdotool]. Then repackaged it.

Installing and running the resulting pet opens 2 windows. But they are not side-by-side nor configured for immediate use.

MochiMoppel's suggestion "ROX SOAP script and a JWM Group setting" seemed the best way to create a pet sufficiently generalized that it could be used OOTB. But I couldn't find any information about how to set that up.

I then re-examined your suggestion, viewtopic.php?p=62854#p62854. It would be easy to include in a pet two empty folders --one / and the other /root-- and provide a command for rox to open those 'windows'. What would be needed is some way to configure their placement and size on any monitor*. Your script provides such specifics. But as you mentioned it was the result of testing on YOUR monitor. [A formula could likely be developed to ascertain the dimensions of the monitor and, using that and 0,0 as a starting point apply percentages rather than fixed points]. But I don't know where or how to include such configuration file in a pet.

As it now stands, rox-sets doesn't really make it that much easier to have two rox-windows than just starting rox twice, or starting rox once and right-clicking the up-Arrow.

* An application should be almost if not entirely usable OOTB. Configurations, if necessary, should be easy for even a newbie.

It does work in some Puppy versions, as it is suppose to work.

As I said. this needs some updating or maybe a complete re-coding.

But the idea is good for using Rox.

Someone want to take on the job of doing the re-code or making a completely new program?

I will help test,
I am no good at coding software.
Only know enough to mess things up.

@mikeslr Yes, that is why xdotool was included to automize the placement of the panes. My manual method has to be configured for your particular screen size but on the other hand is more flexible in terms of the size and positioning of the panes. Anyways, if you use that Settings file of mine and work from there it could be slightly easier to do it yourself (it's a nice exercise in "do it yourself" anyway). If you are going to try it the manual way, remember to restart X everytime you edit the file. That Settings file must be copied to /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer
The dual pane can be started with a script, the command:

rox -d LocationOfFirstFolder LocationOfSecondFolder

BTW: I suggest that you do not use regularly accessed folders like / and /root because there seems to be a bug with rox (if you go to location /root using the / pane, then the pane will shift and vice versa). See a previous post of mine in this regard. Also important - access Rox options beforehand and tick the Never automatically resize box otherwise the panes will resize like you've experienced.

bigpup wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:28 pm

Someone want to take on the job of doing the re-code or making a completely new program?

The stiler program can put windows side by side. It's an old python2 script. To use it on Fossapup64 I've converted it to python3 and added some commands. It depends on the wmctrl and xwininfo programs. All the deps are already in Fossapup.
The screenshot shows six rox windows rearranged by the stiler.py 2x3 command.
In the stiler.py NxN command, NxN stands for a maximal layout. For example, if 3x3 is specified and there are only two windows opened, the actual layout will be 2x1. Also, all the windows should be resizable enough to fit the layout (and rox windows often has a big possible minimal size).
If you want to test it on Fossapup64, the pet is here. It adds a small right-click menu to the "Show Desktop" tray button and several keyboard shortcuts. It probably won't work on other puppy versions. The older ones may have python2, the newer ones may have wayland.

bigpup wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:28 pm

Someone want to take on the job of doing the re-code or making a completely new program?
I will help test,
I am no good at coding software.
Only know enough to mess things up.

There is not much to re-code, but I still wonder why you want a script or even a pet for a basically trivial task.

Solution 1: Open 2 folders, place them side by side and you are done ... I know, I know, that's not what you want, but it has its merits
Solution 2: No scripts, no file editing, completely with ROX tools. You may have to adapt your workflow.
Solution 3: The SOAP/JWM approach. No real script either, but needs a little JWM configuration and will not work with JWM version found in older Puppies. Basically uses JWM to open any ROX window with one of 2 (or more) specified geometries. Sounds familiar? Yes, JWM would do what xdotool is doing in your pet.
Solution 4: One of the many applications that can place and size any window, not just ROX windows.

All of above solutions come with their pros and cons. Instead of heading straight for solution 4 I suggest that you try the easier solutions first. Want to try one of them?

I've re-arranged my desktop layout so that everything fits nicely. Added desktop shortcut to close all panes quickly.

mikeslr wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:42 pm

MochiMoppel's suggestion "ROX SOAP script and a JWM Group setting" seemed the best way to create a pet sufficiently generalized that it could be used OOTB.

IMO it's the best option to do exactly what bigpup asked for (opening '/' and '~' side by side ) and the SOAP part is no problem but configuring JWM programmatically is VERY difficult if you want to do it right and don't want to make a program based on assumptions. Configuring JWM manually is far easier, even for newbies.

It would be easy to include in a pet two empty folders --one / and the other /root-- and provide a command for rox to open those 'windows'.

??? Impossible. Those folders already exist and they are not empty.

What would be needed is some way to configure their placement and size on any monitor*. Your script provides such specifics. But as you mentioned it was the result of testing on YOUR monitor. [A formula could likely be developed to ascertain the dimensions of the monitor and, using that and 0,0 as a starting point apply percentages rather than fixed points]. But I don't know where or how to include such configuration file in a pet.

The roxset script already contains such calculation. Sets the window height at 85% of screen height and window width at 49% of screen width.
The real problem is that it still applies a one-size-fits-all approach. Those huge windows may be OK for a person who uses ROX-Filer in icon mode, but I use list mode and don't need such wide windows. I also have a ROX pane and a JWM tray at the top.The 2 windows created by roxset cover both, rendering them useless. Bottomline: Making bold assumptions on which sizes and locations fit the user's needs and also ignoring ROX-Filer's maximum size settings is wrong.