Xfce patches
This is a repository with patches for some Xfce's components.
Don't expect any polished features. It's all just meant to be for personal use.
You can see some of the patches (panel-related, rounded corners) in action in the screenshot below.
For a simple flat panel setup like that, some gtk.css adjustments are needed. See this gist for more details.
About versions
Because Xfce is a modular desktop environment and its components may interact between themselves, the safest way is to keep them at the same versions as they're intended to be shipped with together. If you want to selectively upgrade (or downgrade) components, keep in mind that you might encounter some major or minor issues.
You can always check the version of any Xfce's component by using the --version option while executing its binary in the terminal. The component's version targeted by a patch is indicated in the file name of the given patch.
Having said that, all of the patches are currently available only for Xfce 4.14, which is, for example, shipped with Xubuntu 20.04 LTS. On newer Xfce's releases, it's likely that there will be conflicts when trying to apply the patches.
Available patches
xfwm4
Building and running
Get the xfwm4's source code and checkout a tag related to a supported version:
git clone https://github.com/xfce-mirror/xfwm4.git && cd xfwm4
git checkout xfwm4-4.14.0
Determine the system library path (do it on your own) and set a variable. For a Ubuntu-based distro it'll be:
LIBDIRPATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
Configure the build environment (install required dependencies on your own) and compile the source code:
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --libdir=$LIBDIRPATH --libexecdir=$LIBDIRPATH && make
Check if the compiled version is working correctly:
./src/xfwm4 --replace & disown
If everything's fine, you can replace your currently installed version:
sudo make install
If you want to restore the original version (example for Ubuntu):
sudo make uninstall
sudo apt install --reinstall xfwm4
Rounded corners
This is a patch that allows drawing windows with rounded corners and, optionally, no decorations.
It is based on an Openbox patch and thus there is no antialiasing, despite xfwm's compositing capabilities.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfwm4-4.14.0-rounded-corners.patch && make
By default, rounded corners have a radius of 8 px and are disabled for maximized windows. Also, window decorations are visible by default, but mind that most xfwm themes won't look good with rounded corners because they provide side and bottom borders. Themes with no borders, but only with titlebar, should look fine though.
To configure mentioned options, use the following commands:
xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/rounded_corners_radius -s 12
xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/rounded_corners_maximized -s true
xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/rounded_corners_keep_decorations -s false
Setting the radius value to 0 disables the effect and restores original window shapes.
Center window (part 1)
This is the first part of a patch that enables binding a keyboard shortcut to center the focused window.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfwm4-4.14.0-center-window.patch && make
To get the keyboard shortcut working, you must also apply the second part of the patch to libxfce4ui.
libxfce4ui
Building and running
Get the libxfce4ui's source code and checkout a tag related to a supported version:
git clone https://github.com/xfce-mirror/libxfce4ui.git && cd libxfce4ui
git checkout libxfce4ui-4.14.1
Determine the system library path (do it on your own) and set a variable. For a Ubuntu-based distro it'll be:
LIBDIRPATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
Configure the build environment (install required dependencies on your own) and compile the source code:
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --libdir=$LIBDIRPATH --libexecdir=$LIBDIRPATH && make
Replace your currently installed version:
sudo make install
If you want to restore the original version (example for Ubuntu):
sudo make uninstall
sudo apt install --reinstall libxfce4ui-1-0
sudo apt install --reinstall libxfce4ui-2-0
Center window (part 2)
This is the second part of the patch that enables binding a keyboard shortcut to center the focused window.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply libxfce4ui-4.14.1-center-window.patch && make
After this patch, you should finally be able to bind a keyboard shortcut to the "Center window" action.
xfdesktop
Building and running
Get the xfdesktop's source code and checkout a tag related to a supported version:
git clone https://github.com/xfce-mirror/xfdesktop.git && cd xfdesktop
git checkout xfdesktop-4.14.1
Determine the system library path (do it on your own) and set a variable. For a Ubuntu-based distro it'll be:
LIBDIRPATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
Configure the build environment (install required dependencies on your own) and compile the source code:
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --libdir=$LIBDIRPATH --libexecdir=$LIBDIRPATH && make
Note: Make sure to install libgarcon development package, as it's marked as optional, but it's important.
Check if the compiled version is working correctly:
killall xfdesktop; ./src/xfdesktop & disown
If everything's fine, you can replace your currently installed version:
sudo make install
If you want to restore the original version (example for Ubuntu):
sudo make uninstall
sudo apt install --reinstall xfdesktop4
Right-click command
This is a patch that allows running a command on desktop right-click, instead of the applications menu.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfdesktop-4.14.1-right-click-command.patch && make
By default, the command is empty and everything works as usual. Once the command is specified and not empty, it'll be executed every time after right-clicking on a desktop area, and the applications menu will be no longer displayed.
To specify the command, use the following query:
xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /general/right-click-command -s "xfce4-terminal"
xfce4-panel
Building and running
Get the xfce4-panel's source code and checkout a tag related to a supported version:
git clone https://github.com/xfce-mirror/xfce4-panel.git && cd xfce4-panel
git checkout xfce4-panel-4.14.1
Determine the system library path (do it on your own) and set a variable. For a Ubuntu-based distro it'll be:
LIBDIRPATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
Configure the build environment (install required dependencies on your own) and compile the source code:
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --libdir=$LIBDIRPATH --libexecdir=$LIBDIRPATH && make
Check if the compiled version is working correctly:
killall xfce4-panel; ./panel/xfce4-panel & disown
However, you won't see any changes made to plugins, as they are still loaded from the installed version.
If everything's fine regarding the panel itself, you can replace your currently installed version (including plugins):
sudo make install
Restart the panel to reload plugins:
xfce4-panel --restart
If you want to restore the original version (example for Ubuntu):
sudo make uninstall
sudo apt install --reinstall xfce4-panel
Tasklist: centered labels
This is a patch for the tasklist plugin that centers the window button labels.
It looks good if you want to hide application icons, as spacing between labels is more jarring that way.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfce4-panel-4.14.1-tasklist-centered-labels.patch && make
Tasklist: faded long labels
This is a patch for the tasklist plugin that fades too long window button labels, instead of ellipsizing them.
The effect is quite similar to what you can see in Firefox, where last few letters of a long tab title are covered with a gradient. However, it looks fine only with a solid panel color, simply because it's just a colored overlay placed on top of the label.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfce4-panel-4.14.1-tasklist-faded-long-labels.patch && make
By default, the overlay has the same color for normal, hovered and active window button's state, and it's picked from the panel background color. Because that might look weird with most themes, you can adjust the overlay colors for these states, by adding the following lines to the ~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css file:
@define-color tasklist_faded_long_labels_color #ff0000;
@define-color tasklist_faded_long_labels_color_hover #00ff00;
@define-color tasklist_faded_long_labels_color_active #0000ff;
To see updated colors, you need to restart the panel:
xfce4-panel --restart
Separator: configurable size
This is a patch for the separator plugin that provides size configuration in its properties dialog.
The spinner available in the properties dialog allows setting the separator instance's size ranging from 1 up to 100 pixels. You can now forget about stacking multiple separators just to make larger margins between panel items.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfce4-panel-4.14.1-separator-configurable-size.patch && make
xfce4-notifyd
Building and running
Get the xfce4-notifyd's source code and checkout a tag related to a supported version:
git clone https://github.com/xfce-mirror/xfce4-notifyd.git && cd xfce4-notifyd
git checkout xfce4-notifyd-0.4.4
Determine the system library path (do it on your own) and set a variable. For a Ubuntu-based distro it'll be:
LIBDIRPATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
Configure the build environment (install required dependencies on your own) and compile the source code:
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --libdir=$LIBDIRPATH --libexecdir=$LIBDIRPATH && make
Check if the compiled version is working correctly:
killall xfce4-notifyd; ./xfce4-notifyd/xfce4-notifyd & disown
If everything's fine, you can replace your currently installed version:
sudo make install
If you want to restore the original version (example for Ubuntu):
sudo make uninstall
sudo apt install --reinstall xfce4-notifyd
Top middle pop-up position
This is a patch that adds the top middle pop-up position to the notification settings.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfce4-notifyd-0.4.4-top-middle-pop-up-position.patch && make
Allow 0px pop-up border radius
This is a patch that allows setting proper 0px border radius for the notification pop-up.
The custom CSS rule #XfceNotifyWindow { border-radius: 0px; } placed in the notification theme's stylesheet (for example located at ~/.themes/Theme/xfce-notify-4.0/gtk.css) won't be ignored anymore.
To use the patch, drop its file into the source code directory, apply it and rebuild the modified version:
git apply xfce4-notifyd-0.4.4-allow-0px-pop-up-border-radius.patch && make