How-To: Install gdesklets on Slackware 9.0
 

.::: How I installed gDesklets-0.26.1 on Slackware 9.0 :::..

I spent over 4 hours trying to get this installed and working. After trying out numerous different packages, I had to go from source. This walkthrough will cover installing from source, using checkinstall to make your packages for easy removal, and provide as much information as possible incase you're not the most talented Linux user. This is not guarenteed to work! I've kept my Slackware 9 setup with mostly fresh install settings, so if you installed Slackware with personal settings etc, you may have issues. Although, if you did that, you probably won't need this walkthrough. All download links are active and working as of 04/28/2004. If they are not when you try this, please use Google
and find it.

All this was done from /home/user/

Download and install the following:


#1. XML-Parser-2.34
- wget http://www.cpan.org/modules/by-modul...er-2.34.tar.gz
- tar zxf XML-Parser-2.34.tar.gz
- cd XML-Parser-2.34
- perl Makefile.PL
- make
- checkinstall
- cd ..

#2. PyGTK-2.2.0
- wget http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sourc...k-2.2.0.tar.gz
- tar zxf pygtk-2.2.0.tar.gz
- cd pygtk-2.2.0
- ./configure --prefix=/usr
- make
- checkinstall
- cd ..

#3. PyORBit-2.0.0
- wget http://freshmeat.net/redir/pyorbit/3...t-2.0.0.tar.gz
- tar zxf pyorbit-2.0.0.tar.gz
- cd pyorbit-2.0.0
- ./configure --prefix=/usr
- make
- checkinstall
- cd ..

#4. gnome-python-2.0.0
- wget http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sourc...n-2.0.0.tar.gz
- tar zxf gnome-python-2.0.0.tar.gz
- cd gnome-python-2.0.0
- ./configure --prefix=/usr
- make
- checkinstall
- cd ..

#5. gDesklets-0.26.1
- wget http://www.pycage.de/download/gdeskl...0.26.1.tar.bz2
- tar jxf gDesklets-0.26.1.tar.bz2
- cd gDesklets-0.26.1
- ./configure --prefix=/usr
- make
- checkinstall
- cd ..

#6. Create your Display and Sensors directories:
- mkdir /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors
- mkdir /usr/local/share/gdesklets_displays


#7. Download some Displays and Sensors.

I will be using PSI's Package as it's the usally what got you here in the first place.

Go here : http://gdesklets.gnomedesktop.org/ca...p&gd_app_id=38
- Download the Display & Sensor packages (PsiDisplayPackage-20040420.tar.gz & PsiSensorPackage-20040420.tar.gz)

Extract the Displays package into your gdesklets_displays directory:
- mv PsiDisplayPackage-20040420.tar.gz /usr/local/share/gdesklets_displays
- tar zxf PsiDisplayPackage-20040420.tar.gz

Extract the Sensors package into your gdesklets_sensors directory:
- mv PsiSensorPackage-20040420.tar.gz /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors
- tar zxf PsiSensorPackage-20040420.tar.gz

#8. Add gDesklets to your Startup Sessions.

Goto Applications > Desktop Preferences > Advanced > Sessions
Click on Startup Programs.
Click on Add.
Type gdesklets into the 'Startup Command:' box, click OK.
Click Close.
Log out of X.
Log back into X.
Start up a terminal.

#9. Install the Sensors.

You should get a popup after each install saying it's ready to use.

- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/CPU-0.2.0/Install_CPU_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Disk-0.2.0/Install_Disk_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/ExternalInterval-0.1.4/Install_ExternalInterval_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/FontSelector-0.2.0/Install_FontSelector_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/IconButton-0.1.4/Install_IconButton_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Memo-0.1.5/Install_Memo_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/MemoOver-0.1.2/Install_MemoOver_Sensorbin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Memory-0.2.1/Install_Memory_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Network-0.2.0/Install_Network_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Ping-0.1.0/Install_Ping_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Theme-0.1.2/Install_Theme_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/VariableBorder-0.1.4/Install_VariableBorder_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/clock-desklet-0.32/Install_Clock_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/popmail-0.1.5/Install_popmail_Sensor.bin
- /usr/local/share/gdesklets_sensors/Install_StarterBar_Sensor.bin

#10. Install the Displays.

$shell> gdesklets /usr/local/share/gdesklets_displays/psi-displays-v0.2/*.display

This will load all the displays, each popping up one at a time on your mouse cursor. Place them anywhere until all are loaded.
Once all are loaded on your desktop, drag them around until you are satisfied with how you want your layout.
You may need additional displays, as in more then 1 ETH monitor or another border. For these, do this:

- $shell> gdesklets /usr/local/share/gdesklets_displays/psi-displays-v0.2/name_of_display.display

#11. Configure your Displays.

Once all are loaded and in their spot, right click on each display and goto Configure Display. Play around with all the settings until you find what you like, then set the others to look the same.

Great post. If I would of have had this two weeks ago, it would have saved me about four days of mucking around with installing gdesklets. Keep up the good work!!!

Shilo

In the first package (XML), after untaring, there isn't a configure file in there.

Any ideas why?

Edit: Ah-ha. You have to run perl Makefile.PL to get the Makefile.

I love these type of posts :)

I love it so much that I'm going to move it to Member Success Stories :D

http://gdesklets.gnomedesktop.org/ca...p&gd_app_id=38

The site isn't working for me. ^

Updated the XML part, wrote this after I did it and forgot that part. Also, the http://gdesklets.gnomedesktop.org site seems to timeout from time to time. If it does for you, try later =).

ok i finally gopt it installed but now when i try to run it it gives me this error:
You need a recent version of PyGTK to run this program.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/bin/gdesklets", line 10, in ?
from main import init
File "/usr/local/share/gdesklets/main/__init__.py", line 38, in ?
from utils.i18n import Translator
File "/usr/local/share/gdesklets/utils/__init__.py", line 1, in ?
from FileWatcher import FileWatcher
File "/usr/local/share/gdesklets/utils/FileWatcher.py", line 3, in ?
import gtk
ImportError: No module named gtk

i have pygtk2.2 installed and i tried it with 2.0 as well can anyone tell me whats going on. gdesklets is so frustrating. superkaramba installed in like 5 seconds for me but i hate kde so i really want to get gdesklets running.

got it done. except for starterbar. saying that error occured while loading the sensor. And saying that the display file is corrupted. Have tried few of the work arounds suggested in gnome discussion forum and this forum. Nothing worked yet. Any one had a similar experience in this line.

I installed everything in the order you suggested (even installing gnome-libs first after it didn't work the first time). When i ./configure gnome-python I get a message saying that it could not build the following modules:

gnome.ui
zvt
bonobo
bonobo.activation
bonobo.ui
gnome.applet
nautilus

It also says:
Note: PyORBit 2.0.0 or later is required by bonobo, gnomeui, and nautilus bindings.

But I installed that before hand using the method you said, but I had a permission error when logged in as user for that particular install so i had to su to root.

What should I do to fix this?

Thanks

I just got everything installed successfully on my Slackware 9.1 box. Everything seemed to work, but when I try to actually run gDesklets, I get the same errors as xunilpassion. Can anyone help us? I would LOOOOVE to get this working. BTW, I'm running Fluxbox 0.9.9 without GNOME or Nautilus, but that shouldn't matter, right?

when you download displays and sensors you need to pay attention to what the requirements are. Starterbar requires Gnome 2, and PyXDG if you odnt have both of these it wont work. if y ou do its something else. make sure you run ldconfig

Every time I try to load any display, I get the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/gdesklets/factory/SensorFactory.py", line 71, in create_sensor
sensor = module.new_sensor(args)
File "./Theme/__init__.py", line 82, in new_sensor
def new_sensor(args): return apply(Theme, args)
File "./Theme/__init__.py", line 31, in __init__
for a in output[0].split():
IndexError: list index out of range
list index out of range
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/gdesklets/factory/SensorFactory.py", line 71, in create_sensor
sensor = module.new_sensor(args)
File "./Theme/__init__.py", line 82, in new_sensor
def new_sensor(args): return apply(Theme, args)
File "./Theme/__init__.py", line 31, in __init__
for a in output[0].split():
IndexError: list index out of range
list index out of range
Could not load sensor Theme

A google search led me to this page, with somebody experiencing the same error:

http:///hardwarefr/OSAlternatifs/sujet-33828-1.htm

However, the page is in French, and I couldn't figure out if the person who had the error solved the problem or how. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I follow the instructions at the begining exactly, download the exact sensors he listed on the page. Anyone? Thanks in advance.

artistikone - your Success Story on installing GDesklets seems to be ideal for our LinuxAnswers section.

Would you be willing to submit it? It would be of help to the site and to the rest of our membership if you would do so (it would also put your instructions in a prominent place for anyone searching for it :)).

If you are willing to do so, read this link on submitting an Answer beforehand.

Thanks.

I have submitted it to the LinuxAnswers section. I wish I could answer some of the questions above regarding issues with gDesklets, however I am no longer using it and have moved over to SuperKaramba....walkthrough coming soon !

Ace - if it's as detailed as the one above, turn it into an LA.