[openbox] theme suggestion

[Robert Upshall]

Ben Jansens wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 20, 2003 at 07:44:51PM +0200, Tomas Hellstr|m wrote:
> 
>>  Have you considered placing some sort of root command directive in
>>$HOME/.openbox/rc3 instead? Then the theme can specify a background file
> 
> 
> I am actually of the opinion that the window manager should not set the
> background at all.
> 
> If you run any sort of desktop environment, then it will be setting your
> desktop for you.
> 
> And if not, then you are probly an 'advanced' enough user to set your own
> desktop with one of the many tools out there for such a purpose (wmsetbg,
> esetroot, qiv, xv, etc). I don't wish to rewrite any/all of these tools, and
> the old bsetbg approach was hell to use and support. So I have chosen to
> leave that outside of the domain of Openbox's control.
> 
> Ben


First off, OB3 is great, it is a perfect next step for the openbox, I 
love where it's going.  I cannot wait for the stable release!!!!

I have been taking some time over this long weekend and tweeking some of 
the old blackbox format themes to work for OB3.  I just wanted to 
comment on the missing root command, I understand your feelings about 
allowing the desktop enviroment set the backgroud, but it has been my 
experience that allot openbox users tend to use openbox without a 
desktop enviroment because of the speed.  I myself like allot of people 
moved to openbox from blackbox.  I made the move because openbox was a 
standards compliant blackbox, it was small and fast like blackbox but 
worked allot better with allot of the apps out there.

As for the comment about being 'advanced' enough to set the background 
yourself, allot are, I myself would fall into that group, but there are 
some people who may not be.  I also am a little lazy and tend to play 
and switch themes fairly often, I like the theme setting my bg if it has 
one attached, I guess right now without obconf completed it isn't a big 
deal because a theme change requires a command line edit of the rc3 file 
and it isn't a big deal to set the bg when you do it, but eventually 
when the themes can be changed with obconf, it will become another step.

I guess all of this said, I am just wondering if there is a way to make 
something work for both types of users, standalone and desktop 
enviroment users.  Maybe something like this directive in the rc3 file:

	<standalone>
		<enabled>yes</enabled>
		<bgcmd>wmsetbg</bgcmd>
	</standalone>

I have no idea what might be involved in something like this, I just 
wanted to throw the idea into the mix.

Don't flame me to much,
Robert