Screenlets are small applications to represent things such as sticky notes, clocks, calendars around on your Ubuntu desktop. You can launch a pre-installed screenlet from Screenlet Manager, or install a new one into the Manager for launching it. Here are the steps for installing and launching a screenlet, for example, WaterMark System Information.
– Install Screenlets Manager if it has not been added.
– Go to Applications (or Main Menu) > Ubuntu Software Center.
– Enter screenlets in the Search Box.
– Select Screenlets, click the “Install” button.
– Download the screenlet e.g. “WaterMark System Information” to a folder.
– Go to Applications (or Main Menu) > Accessories > Screenlets.
– Click Install, select Install Screenlet and click OK.
– Browse to the folder, select the file downloaded and click “Open” to install the screenlet into the Screenlets Manager.
– Select the screenlet “WaterMark” and click “Launch/Add”. (Tips: you can add more than one WaterMark screenlet and set it to display other system information.)
More screenlets are available for installation from screenlets.org.
The goal of the screenlets base-classes is to simplify the creation of fully themable mini-apps that each solve basic desktop-work-related needs and generally improve the usability and eye-candy of the modern composited linux-desktop. Features:. real applications, no html-'widgets'. easy to use, easy to develop. full compositing support. Install ScreenLets 0.1.7 in Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy/Ubuntu 13.04 Raring/Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal/Ubuntu 12.04 Precise/Linux Mint 15/14/13/other Ubuntu derivatives.
Screenlets is an application software released under GNU GPL. The same name screenlets refers to the engine as well as widget that runs on it. It was Originally Developed by ‘Rico Pfaus‘, ‘Helder Fraga‘ and ‘Natan Yellin‘ for Unix-like Operating System. Designed specially to run on X11-based compositing windows manager like compiz.
Screenlets are small pieces of application commonly called widget. They serves as eye candy besides improving overall system experience of modern Linux-desktop. Widgets represents virtual things on desktop viz., Clock, Sticky notes, weather, Calculator, Calendar,…
Features of Screenlets
- Easy from End-user point as well as from Developer point of view.
- A wide range of screenlets/widget to choose from.
- Deploy Google gadgets on screenlets engine.
- Full compositing Support.
- Works with any composited X desktop as well as non-composited desktop
- Fully Scalable
- Embedded Drag & Drop
- Highly Customizable
- Automatic options saving.
- Themes feature supported
Screenlets version <= 0.0.14 were written in Python later on the concept of web widgets were introduced which were typically written in HTML, JavaScript and CSS.
Installing Screenlets in Linux
1. You can download and install screenlets from the repository (if available), most of the modern Linux distribution includes screenlets to be downloaded from default repository.
The above command will install screenlets application and complete pack, which includes number of widgets/gadgets in it.
During installation, in my Debian 8.0 Jessie, I’ve got the following depnedency error message….
To fix this, you need to install following package.
2. After installing Screenlets, start the application using user account only and not root. Crusader kings 2 not responding on launch.
3. To add a widget to your screen double click it. You may add as many screenlets as you want. There is no limitation.
Add Widgets to Desktop
4. You can close all the running widgets at once, reset Screenlets Config, Install new theme, Restart All, Create Desktop Shortcut as well as Auto-Start at login using the options available in the left of Screenlets Manager.
5. You can also configure the options like Setting position of Specific Screenlets, scale it, control opacity as well as options like stick to desktop, Lock Position, Keep above/below and etc.
Configure Screenlets
The screenlets application is quiet stable and mature project. If you are newbie to Linux, several GUI System monitor tool will help you to understand what’s going on. If you are developer you can write your own screenlets for the screenlets engine. As said above, these widgets are small and hence easy to develop.
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