[gentoo-user] Notes for GNOME3 users who miss a desktop pager.

[gentoo-user] Notes for GNOME3 users who miss a desktop pager.

[G.Wolfe Woodbury]

I've migrated my desktop to GNOME3, and miss a log of functionality.
Among the most annoying missing parts for me is a non-dynamic set of
virtual desktops and a pager applet to go with it.

I have found that the x11-misc/ipager app to be a useful replacement
along with gnome-tweak-tool.

The gnome-tweak-tool allows setting non-dynamic desktops, (Shell |
Dynamic workspaces -> Off, set the count of desktops you want.)

The ipager app can then be emerged and configured.  Here is my
ipager.conf file:
---------------------------
icon.spacing:      5
icon.min_width:    24
icon.max_width:    48
icon.min_height:   24
icon.max_height:   48
icon.maximize_threshold: 0.9

#
# IPager window position
#
ipager.window.x:  1400
ipager.window.y:  860

# should IPager starts in slit?
ipager.in_slit: no

#
#
display_sticky_windows:   no
display_shaded_windows:   yes

# [ yes | no | mouseOver ]
display_window_icon:      mouseOver

#
# Button to switch workspaces
#
#
# [ left | right | middle | any ]
# or
# set of buttons like:
#    left, right
#    middle, right
#
switch_workspace.button: any

#
mouse.scroll.up: nextWorkspace
mouse.scroll.down: prevWorkspace

#
# Delta (in pixels)
#
# when an workspace icon changes its size
# IPager compare new values and previous.
# If they differ less then 'zoom.recreate_icon_delta' then
# IPager continues to use an old icon and just zoom it.
# If the sizes differ more 'zoom.recreate_icon_delta's value,
# then IPager creates a new icon picture.
# it is not very efficient to create icons often.
#
zoom.recreate_icon_delta: 0

# Defines style of zooming icons. Should an icon spacing be expandig or
# an active workspace icon lays over other (cross them)?
#
#   [zoomAndExpand | over]
#
zoom.type: over

display_workspace_number: no
workspace_number.color:   #FFFF00

ttf_font_path: /usr/share/fonts/TTF
ttf_font: Vera/14

#
# Background image for IPager window
#
#ipager.background.image: /path/to/image.png

#
# Colors (#RRGGBB)
#
ipager.background.color: #00FFFF
ipager.border.color:	 #000000

workspace.background.color:		#0000C0
workspace.border.color:			#000000
active_workspace.background.color:	#00FF00
active_workspace.border.color:		#FFFFFF

window.background.color:        #A47D73
window.border.color:
active_window.background.color: #F09029
active_window.border.color:     #FFFFFF

selection_color: #FF0001
--------------------------------------------------------

This puts a static pager bar in the bottom-right of my desktop with
a cool blue feel.  This spot is below where I stash the GKrellM panel.

It is not the most convenient configuration file, but it also has not
been worked on since Sep 2008.

You can also add ipager to the gnome-session-properties set.
The program live in /usr/bin/ipager
use "-c /home/<user>/<wherever you want>/ipager.conf" with the program.