Modified Hildon Desktop

modified-hildon-desktop is a package of a modified version of hildon desktop with enhanced functionality. Most changes are keyboard related.

Install with this install file.

Changes from hildon-desktop:

• A few gconf keys affect the operation of hildon-desktop (change value of keys with the terminal command gconftool-2 -s <key> -t <key type> <new value>, where <key type> is int for integer values and bool for true/false values):
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/home_contacts_phone
    If the value of this key is false, the phones and contacts applications will not be called when a key is pressed while in the home screen.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/ctrl_backspace (*)
    If the value of this key is false then ctrl-backspace is free for applications to use, instead of the default behaviour of jumping to task navigator.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/preset_shift_ctrl
    If the value of this key is true, ctrl-shift-x opens an xterm, ctrl-shift-p saves an image of the screen, ctrl-shift-n toggles composite mode and ctrl-shift-h jumps to home screen.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/dbus_shift_ctrl (*)
    If the value of this key is true, then ctrl-shift-letter combinations are reported on the d-bus, allowing implementation of global shortcut keys. H,N,P,X are reported on the dbus only if the previous key is false.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/launcher_navigator_accel
    If the value of this is true, icons in the launcher and task navigator can be selected by pressing corresponding keys:
    In the task navigator, if the letter is pressed with shift or FN, the corresponding task is closed, instead of switched to.
    Examples of how the key work:
    • q selects leftmost icon in top row.
    • w selects second icon from left in top row.
    • t selects fifth icon from left in top row.
    • s selects second from left icon in second row.
    • z selects leftmost icon in third row.
    • v selects fourth icon from left in the third row.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/dbus_launcher_navigator
    If the value of this key is true, a press of a letter key while in task navigator or launcher is reported on the d-bus. If the previous key is true, only letters not corresponding to icons are reported. If home_contacts_phone key is false, then also keys pressed while in home screen are reported.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/ctrl_backspace_in_tasknav
    The action when ctrl+backspace is pressed while the task navigator is showing is controlled by this integer key:
    1. Go to home screen.
    2. Go to launcher.
    3. Activate the window that was active almost most recently. (In this mode, use two presses of ctrl+backspace two alternate between two windows).
    4. Activate the most recently active window.
    5. ctrl+backspace behaves like alt-tab on desktop (at least on KDE). While ctrl is pressed, every press of backspace rotates the windows. When ctrl is released, the selected (top left) window is activated.
    • Any other value - do nothing.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/dbus_ctrl_shortcuts (*)
    If this key is true, hildon desktop captures and reports on D-Bus the following combinations: ctrl+space, ctrl+comma, ctrl+period, ctrl+volume+/-. This conflicts with other uses for some of these combinations.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/dbus_shortcuts_use_fn (*)
    use ctrl+FN+key instead of ctrl+shift+key for D-Bus shortcuts. This is much easier to press, but conflicts with FN+ctrl for opening special keys window.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/disable_edit
    Disable desktop edit mode.
  • /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/decel_rate (*)
    sets the deceleration rate of scrolling in launcher. Default is 90 (same as PR1.2). In PR1.1 the value was 99. In PR1.0 it was 110.

Keys marked with (*) are only read at start time, so you need to restart hildon-desktop (or reboot) for changes to take effect.

• Non-configurable changes:
  • Left and right arrows change desktops in the home screen.
  • A d-bus signal set_state allows other programs to select the state (application, home screen, task navigator, launcher).
  • A d-bus signal activate_window with an int parameter n, for activating the nth window (in the order displayed in the task navigator) - only call this when task navigator is displayed or activating a full screen window.
  • A d-bus signal activate_window_time with an int parameter n, for activating the nth window (in order of last activation time). 0 is oldest. Use negative numbers for reverse order: -1 is newest. Same warning as in previous signal.
  • Two signals similar to the previous two: close_window and close_window_time.
  • A d-bus signal launcher_activate with an int parameter n, for activating the nth icon (program or folder - in the order displayed in the task launcher) - only call this when task launcher is displayed. parameter=-1 is like pressing empty space between icons - go one folder up.
  • Maximal number of desktops is raised from 4 to 9. See here for detatils.
  • Setting the key /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/views changes the current view.

Settings examples

To enable keyboard acceleration in launcher and task navigator (q selects top left icon/window, etc.) type:

gconftool-2 -s /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/dbus_launcher_navigator -t bool true

To make pressing of ctrl+backspace in the task navigator open the launcher, type:

gconftool-2 -s /apps/osso/hildon-desktop/key-actions/ctrl_backspace_in_tasknav -t int 2