MX-Fluxbox 2.0 beta testing thread

[Jerry3904]

After a lot of hard work by the MX Devs and Community members, MX-Fluxbox 2.0 is ready for beta testing. The list of contributors is too long for me to spell out this early in the morning, but I am very grateful for the fantastic support the project has enjoyed.

Installation
URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bHjyyV ... sp=sharing

md5sum: 236376ce1cb34c7b028ce6a6506c7113 4712752 mx-fluxbox_20.0mx19+1.tar.xz

Once that has installed, then use the command line to move files into Home:

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/usr/bin/mxflux_install.sh

An existing fluxbox folder will be backed up to ~/.fluxbox_BAK

Features
There are some great new and revised features:

--Two major new tools: mx-idesktool and wmalauncher. Both are covered in MX-Fluxbox Documentation (= ~/.fluxbox/doc/mxfl-docs.pdf) which can be easily accessed by pressing F1 or clicking the icon in the left corner.

Revised and updated from a 2004 script and converted to a gui, mx-idesktool makes it easy to create and manage iDesk icons. And they now can be dragged anywhere on the desktop, something that had been broken up until now. wmalauncher is a relatively new (2018) command-line app with great power to create launchers in the fluxbox "slit" and many options that I have barely begun to explore.

--An optional legacy toolbar setup, along with a return, available with one click off the menu (Look > Toolbar > Legacy). This allows new users, especially those coming from a legacy OS, to switch easily to a format with which they may be more familiar (and "as God intended," a MX user once said).

--Pre-made docks available with a single click off the menu (Look > Docks and launchers). Also a very easy dock template that enables users to set up exactly what they want.

dock5.png

--Greatly expanded (11pp) documentation covering fluxbox, iDesk and wmalauncher.

Known Issues
--legacy toolbar consists of a large menu icon in the left corner adjoining the toolbar at 97% screen width coming from the right end. Depending on resolution there can be a slight gap or a slight overlap, adjusted by making the toolbar 1% longer or shorter. I wish I could eliminate that but don't see a way to *glue* them together.

--mx-updater tends to disappear now and then, and I can't figure out how to prevent that.

Testing suggestions
--MX-Fluxbox is now under a feature freeze, so this is therefore not the moment for suggestions about things to add. I have already received excellent ones, and there are many already in the MX-Fluxbox Tips & Tricks thread.

--Please take a close look at the two big tools as well as the documentation covering them.

--Check out the pre-made docks, and try to make one of your own if you have the time and interest to test directions and functionality.

Deadline: we have 5 days or so before we need to begin to pull together the final version.

Thanks in advance for help.

[Adrian]

One thing I noticed, when trying to run with sudo I got this:

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sudo /usr/bin/mxflux_install.sh
mv: cannot move '/root/.fluxbox' to '/root/.fluxbox_BAK/.fluxbox': Directory not empty

I think it's safer to use

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sudo -E /usr/bin/mxflux_install.sh

to preserve the environment, otherwise $HOME might be "/root/" (I guess depending on various settings)

[kmathern]

Do you even need to use sudo to run the mxflux_install.sh script? I ran it without and as far as I can tell it's working.

[dolphin_oracle]

I don't think so. everything copies into the home folder. so user is fine.

when the script is run from mx-pi, it uses

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sudo -H -u $(logname) /usr/bin/mxflux_install.sh

I don't thing the -E for sudo works anymore in mx19 unless I'm remembering incorrectly.

[Adrian]

Yes, I didn't even consider that, it's in user folder, I think everything should be owned by user, you should not even use sudo in the first place (should we?), Jerry, can you please edit the instructions?

[Jerry3904]

On the road to DC, but will do it. I first tried without and it failed.

[Jerry3904]

Is that what you wanted?

[dolphin_oracle]

in any case that mv function looks like it fails if the backup directory exists already. probably better to backup to something like

.fluxbox_bak_.$(date +%Y%m%H%M%S)

it might also be better to exit the script if the backup fails. because then there is no backup.

after the mv

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if [ ! "$?" = "0" ]; then
	echo $"backup cannot be made, exiting"
	exit 1
fi

[kmathern]

Sort of on the same topic, from what I can see the MX-flux / "Set up fluxbox" entry provided by the mxflux.desktop file (/usr/share/mxflux/.fluxbox/components/mxflux.desktop) doesn't appear anywhere in the menu. It does if I copy or symlink it to /usr/share/applications.

But even then it doesn't work with the 'Exec=sh /usr/local/bin/mxflux_install.sh' line (the mxflux_install.sh script is installed in the /usr/bin directory).
It works when I change the Exec line to just: 'Exec=mxflux_install.sh' .

[dolphin_oracle]

Sort of on the same topic, from what I can see the MX-flux / "Set up fluxbox" entry provided by the mxflux.desktop file (/usr/share/mxflux/.fluxbox/components/mxflux.desktop) doesn't appear anywhere in the menu. It does if I copy or symlink it to /usr/share/applications.

But even then it doesn't work with the 'Exec=sh /usr/local/bin/mxflux_install.sh' line (the mxflux_install.sh script is installed in the /usr/bin directory).
It works when I change the Exec line to just: 'Exec=mxflux_install.sh' .

good catch. I missed that a .desktop file was still present.

the actually working desktop entry was removed from the package, mostly because I got confused about what jerry was telling me.

the mx-pi install routine runs the script manually. the 19.1 iso will have mx-fluxbox pre-installed. so the desktop entry would just be for updates?

it can of course be added back if folks think its necessary.