CDE

From NixOS Wiki
Warning: This article makes use of precarious stateful system manipulations (imperatively writing to /etc).

Aka cdesktopenv or Common Desktop Environment is a vintage desktop environment.


Changing fonts

 sudo mkdir -p /etc/dt/config/xfonts
 sudo cp -r ${pkgs.cdesktopenv}/opt/dt/config/xfonts/$LANG /etc/dt/config/xfonts
 sudo sed -i '/dt-interface/d' /etc/dt/config/xfonts/$LANG/fonts.alias

Now add the following to /etc/dt/config/xfonts/$LANG/fonts.alias file. In this example Helvetica and Courier are used instead of fixed fonts. 

 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-xxs sans-10-100-72-72-p-61-iso8859-1"  "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--10-*-75-75-p-56-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-xs sans-11-110-72-72-p-64-iso8859-1"   "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--11-80-100-100-p-56-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-s sans-12-120-72-72-p-73-iso8859-1"    "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--12-120-75-75-p-67-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-m sans-13-130-72-72-p-87-iso8859-1"    "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--14-140-75-75-p-77-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-l sans-15-150-72-72-p-100-iso8859-1"   "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--14-140-75-75-p-77-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-xl sans-18-180-72-72-p-114-iso8859-1"  "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--18-180-75-75-p-98-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-xxl sans-21-210-72-72-p-123-iso8859-1" "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--20-140-100-100-p-100-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-xxs serif-10-100-72-72-m-60-iso8859-1"   "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--10-100-75-75-m-60-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-xs serif-11-110-72-72-m-60-iso8859-1"    "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--11-80-100-100-m-60-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-s serif-12-120-72-72-m-80-iso8859-1"     "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--12-120-75-75-m-70-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-m serif-13-130-72-72-m-90-iso8859-1"     "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--14-140-75-75-m-90-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-l serif-15-150-72-72-m-110-iso8859-1"    "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--14-140-75-75-m-90-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-xl serif-18-180-72-72-m-120-iso8859-1"   "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal--18-180-75-75-m-110-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-medium-r-normal-xxl serif-21-210-72-72-m-140-iso8859-1"  "-adobe-courier-medium-r-normal-*-20-140-100-100-m-110-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-xxs serif-10-100-72-72-m-60-iso8859-1"     "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--10-100-75-75-m-60-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-xs serif-11-110-72-72-m-60-iso8859-1"      "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--11-80-100-100-m-60-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-s serif-12-120-72-72-m-80-iso8859-1"       "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--12-120-75-75-m-70-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-m serif-13-130-72-72-m-90-iso8859-1"       "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--14-140-75-75-m-90-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-l serif-15-150-72-72-m-110-iso8859-1"      "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--14-140-75-75-m-90-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-xl serif-18-180-72-72-m-120-iso8859-1"     "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--18-180-75-75-m-110-iso8859-1"
 "-dt-interface user-bold-r-normal-xxl serif-21-210-72-72-m-140-iso8859-1"    "-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--20-140-100-100-m-110-iso8859-1"

Adding programs to autolaunch

 
~/.dt/sessions/sessionetc

#!/usr/bin/env nix-shell
#!nix-shell -i sh -p xcompmgr xosview2

xcompmgr -c &
xosview2 &

 chmod +x ~/.dt/sessions/sessionetc

Editing panel

 cp ${pkgs.cdesktopenv}/opt/dt/appconfig/types/C/dtwm.fp ~/.dt/types
 chmod +w ~/.dt/types/dtwm.fp

Now edit ~/.dt/types/dtwm.fp

To disable system control, add a delete property like this 

 CONTROL Trash
{
 CONTAINER_NAME  Top
 CONTAINER_TYPE  BOX
 DELETE          True
}

Creating an own program icon

Icons should be in XPM or XBM format. Use the following configuration to convert from png icons

 
/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

let
  cde-icons = pkgs.writeShellScriptBin "cde-icons" ''
    file=`basename ''${1%.*}`

    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 48x48 ~/.dt/icons/$file.l.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 32x32 ~/.dt/icons/$file.m.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 24x24 ~/.dt/icons/$file.s.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 16x16 ~/.dt/icons/$file.t.pm
  '';
in {
  services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages = with pkgs;
    options.services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages.default ++ [
      cde-icons
    ];
}

For example 

 cde-icons /run/current-system/sw/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/qutebrowser.png

Then select it in Desktop_Apps/Create Action tool. Save actions under ~/.dt/appmanager

Setting icons on minimized programs

Please note that not all programs support this

 
~/.Xdefaults

Dtwm*qutebrowser*iconImage:   qutebrowser

Setting wallpaper

Put .jpg or .png under ~/.dt/backdrops then select it in Style Manager / Backdrop

Gtk and Qt theme

Add to your configuration

 
/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

  services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages = with pkgs;
    options.services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages.default ++ [
      cde-gtk-theme
    ];
  environment.etc."xdg/gtk-2.0/gtkrc".text = ''
    gtk-theme-name="cdetheme"
  '';
  environment.etc."xdg/gtk-3.0/settings.ini".text = ''
    [Settings]
    gtk-theme-name=cdetheme
  '';
  qt5 = {
    enable = true;
    platformTheme = "gtk2";
    style = "gtk2";
  };

Now copy the theme to home directory. Instead of Arizona.dp pick the palette you currently use in CDE for the match 

 mkdir -p ~/.themes
 cp -Lr --no-preserve=mode /run/current-system/sw/share/themes/cdetheme ~/.themes/
 chmod +x ~/.themes/cdetheme/scripts/switchtheme
 cd ~/.themes/cdetheme/scripts/
 ./switchtheme ../palettes/Arizona.dp 8 3 22 false true false

Changing volume and brightness with media keys

Add the following to ~/.dt/dtwmrc 

 Keys DtKeyBindings
 {
   <Key>XF86AudioLowerVolume   root|icon|window|ifkey  f.exec "amixer set Master -q 5%-"
   <Key>XF86AudioRaiseVolume   root|icon|window|ifkey  f.exec "amixer set Master -q 5%+"
   <Key>XF86AudioMute          root|icon|window|ifkey  f.exec "amixer set Master -q toggle"
   <Key>XF86MonBrightnessUp    root|icon|window|ifkey  f.exec "xbacklight -inc 1"
   <Key>XF86MonBrightnessDown  root|icon|window|ifkey  f.exec "xbacklight -dec 1"
 }

Battery widget

 
/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

let
  cde-battery = pkgs.writeScriptBin "cde-battery" ''
    #!${pkgs.cdesktopenv}/opt/dt/bin/dtksh
    ${pkgs.lib.readFile (pkgs.fetchurl {
      url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edorig/dtksh/5f49e402b391c81ebea9609bdec9c7716e70a8c0/battery";
      sha256 = "0zjn9zl1as9xbk2845bbdy2xfj29b4hvvalcz8kf2llkndbfswvl";
    })}
  '';
in {
  services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages = with pkgs;
    options.services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages.default ++ [
      cde-battery
    ];
}

Please read Adding programs to autolaunch section

 
~/.dt/sessions/sessionetc

#!/bin/sh
cde-battery &

Please read Editing panel section

 
~/.dt/types/dtwm.fp

CONTROL Battery 
{
POSITION_HINTS  14
TYPE client
CONTAINER_NAME Top
CONTAINER_TYPE BOX
CLIENT_NAME cde-battery
CLIENT_GEOMETRY 97x58  
HELP_STRING "Battery indicator"
}

Example configuration

 
/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

{ pkgs, options, ... }

let
  cde-icons = pkgs.writeShellScriptBin "cde-icons" ''
    file=`basename ''${1%.*}`

    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 48x48 ~/.dt/icons/$file.l.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 32x32 ~/.dt/icons/$file.m.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 24x24 ~/.dt/icons/$file.s.pm
    ${pkgs.imagemagick}/bin/convert $1 -resize 16x16 ~/.dt/icons/$file.t.pm
  '';
  cde-battery = pkgs.writeScriptBin "cde-battery" ''
    #!${pkgs.cdesktopenv}/opt/dt/bin/dtksh
    ${pkgs.lib.readFile (pkgs.fetchurl {
      url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edorig/dtksh/5f49e402b391c81ebea9609bdec9c7716e70a8c0/battery";
      sha256 = "0zjn9zl1as9xbk2845bbdy2xfj29b4hvvalcz8kf2llkndbfswvl";
    })}
  '';
in {
  # CDE has a limited number of locales
  i18n.defaultLocale = "en_US.UTF-8";
  # CDE has no keyboard layout configuration 
  services.xserver.layout = "us,ru";
  services.xserver.xkbOptions = "grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:caps";
  services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.enable = true;
  services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages = with pkgs;
    options.services.xserver.desktopManager.cde.extraPackages.default ++ [
      fsv cde-icons cde-gtk-theme cde-battery
    ];
  environment.etc."xdg/gtk-2.0/gtkrc".text = ''
    gtk-theme-name="cdetheme"
  '';
  environment.etc."xdg/gtk-3.0/settings.ini".text = ''
    [Settings]
    gtk-theme-name=cdetheme
  '';
  qt5 = {
    enable = true;
    platformTheme = "gtk2";
    style = "gtk2";
  };
}

Useful links

Retrieved from "https://wiki.nixos.org/w/index.php?title=CDE&oldid=12269"