Introduction

Wmalauncher is a CLI app created by Sébastien Ballet in 2018 as “an easy to use and highly configurable application launcher especially designed for fluxbox” (man wmalauncher). The Dev has been very helpful in adapting his app to the MX Linux use environment. This HELP file treats exclusively of the CLI app, ignoring the GUI mx-dockmaker.

Use

There are three ways to create a launcher for a given application with wmalauncher:

1. Probably the easiest for everyday use is to pass the .desktop file of the target application on the command line :

$ wmalauncher --desktop-file mozilla-firefox:firefox & 

In the example above, wmalauncher will use the first .desktop file found in the “desktop file search path” that matches mozilla-firefox.desktop or firefox.desktop. Note: as in the above example, it easier is to omit the extension (i.e., just firefox instead of firefox.desktop).

2. Pass the command to execute and the icon to display on the command line, as in example below:

$ wmalauncher --command /usr/bin/firefox --icon firefox.png & 

In the example above, wmalauncher will use the first icon found in the “icon search paths” that match firefox.png (note: the extension can be omitted).

3. Pass a configuration file (details below) containing the settings for the target application on the command line :

$ wmalauncher --config /usr/share/wmalauncher/lighting.conf --prefix mozilla-firefox & 

In the example above, wmalauncher loads the settings from the configuration file /usr/share/wmalauncher/lighting.conf, then, configures the command, icon and tooltip-text according to the settings dedicated to the application firefox.

How to kill a launcher

A new feature was added for use in MX-Fluxbox: a right click to kill a launcher. In MX-Fluxbox, the feature has been implemented by default but can be disabled as the developer explains:

For instance, if you want to turn this option on in the configuration file lightning.conf, you’ll simply need to add this in the global section :

exit-on-right-click = off

Furthermore, you’ll be able to enable/disable this option on a per-application basis. For instance, if you want the option enabled for all applications but not for thunar or firefox in configuration file lightning.conf, you’ll need to do this :

1. Add this in the global section:

exit-on-right-click = on

2. Below “thunar.desktop-file =…”, add this:

thunar.exit-on-right-click=off

3. Below “mozilla-firefox.desktop-file=…”, add this :

mozilla-firefox.exit-on-right-click=off

Note that in a bash script you can use an array to specify one (or more) option, like in example below :

#!/bin/bash#WMAL_OPTS=( -x )
wmalauncher --config /usr/share/wmalauncher/multi-effects.conf --prefix mozilla-firefox ${WMAL_OPTS[@]} &
wmalauncher --config /usr/share/wmalauncher/multi-effects.conf --prefix mozilla-thunderbird ${WMAL_OPTS[@]} &wmalauncher --config /usr/share/wmalauncher/multi-effects.conf --prefix thunar ${WMAL_OPTS[@]} &

Pre-defined applications for the configuration creation option

Development

• emacs
• geany
• gvim

Games

• darkplaces
• dhewm3
• gzdoom
• ioquake3
• iortcw
• quake2
• xboard

Graphics

• geeqie
• gimp
• gwenview
• krita
• libreoffice-draw
• xsane

Internet

• gftp
• google-chrome
• mozilla-firefox
• mozilla-thunderbird
• pan
• pidgin
• seamonkey
• transmission-gtk
• transmission-qt

Multimedia

• amarok
• audacious
• k3b
• kplayer
• mplayer
• pavucontrol
• xine for
• xmms

Office

• libreoffice
  • base
  • calc
  • impress
  • math
  • startcenter
  • writer
• okular
• qpdfview
• scribus
• xpdf

System

• dolphin
• grsync
• htop
• konsole
• ksysguard
• thunar
• uxterm
• virtualbox
• xfce4-terminal
• xfe
• xterm
• xfce4-taskmanager

Utilities

• galculator
• gucharmap
• kate
• kcalc
• kwrite
• leafpad
• xarchiver
• xfce4-screenshooter

Technical details

Consult the man file to see the extraordinary flexibility and versatility of this app.

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