====== Customizing the Easy Mode GUI ======

You'll need to know how to open a Terminal window before you read this page. See [[howto:openaterminal]].

===== The Easy Way: With Wizards =====

Read about **SublimePorte**'s wizards on [[howto:customizeeasymodeicons]].





===== The Manual Way: Tabs and Links =====

** NOTE:** New models of EeePC from 900 onwards (and even 701 models after updating asus-launcher to version 0.185-3 and above) do not take into account anymore the file /home/user/.AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc. Instead, the file /var/lib/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc can be used. All the commands that follow have to be modified by consequence.


==== Backup and copy your current simpleui.rc ====

  - Open a Terminal window (**Alt+Ctrl+t**).
  - Run this line:<code>cp /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc /home/user/simpleui.rc.old</code> Your current **simpleui.rc** is now backed up into your home directory as **simpleui.rc.old**.
  - Run either of these lines depending on your model:<code>mkdir /home/user/.AsusLauncher/
mkdir /var/lib/AsusLauncher/
</code> This creates the user AsusLauncher directory if it doesn't already exist. //[NB. a directory name with a dot in front means it is a hidden directory]//
  - Run either of these lines depending on your model:<code>cp /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc /home/user/.AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc
cp /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc /var/lib/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc</code> Your current **simpleui.rc** is now copied to the user AsusLauncher directory.




==== Start editing ====

  - Open Terminal (**Alt+Ctrl+t**) if you don't have one open.
  - Execute this line:<code>sudo kwrite /home/user/.AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc</code>
  - The Text Editor opens the **simpleui.rc** file. Edit at will. See [[howto:customizeeasymode#adding_new_items|Adding New Items]] below for tips on what to do.


==== Restoring the backup (If you mess up...) ====

If you still have access to a terminal and you have created a backup of simpleui.rc which you want to restore, 

  - Open a Terminal window.
  - Run this line:<code>cp /home/user/simpleui.rc.old /home/user/.AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc</code>
  - Your backup is now restored, replacing the **simpleui.rc** you messed up.

Alternatively, see [[howto:installrescuemode]].

==== Key ====

**simplecat** sections are the tabs themselves, so to remove the **Learn** tab delete the whole **simplecat** section with **id="Learn"**.

**folder** sections are exactly that: folders.  For example, the **Games** folder under the **Play** tab.

**parcel** sections are the "launchable" icons.  For example, the **Internet Radio** icon under the **Internet** tab.

Deleting the programs themselves does not free up any disk space due to the Eee PC Xandros restore feature (f9 at startup).

==== Preview: ====


{{howto:customized.png|}}





===== Favorites =====

The items in the **Favorites** tab (other than Asus.com and Customize) are located in **/home/user/.AsusLauncher/favorites.rc**

Since simpleui.rc is loaded first, the way to move Customize icon to the end is to remove it in simpleui.rc and add it to favorites.rc.

It can be removed altogether if you wish by either deleting the entry described above, or commenting out the entry for it: add **<!-____-** and **-____->** on either side of any piece code and it will be ignored. This is good practice as it allows for easy restoration or mistake correction.


===== Wallpaper =====

Wallpapers for easy mode are stored in /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher. They are named <style>_<page>_wallpaper.jpg, where style is one of the following (style - corresponding theme):

  *business - Silver Theme
  *student - Green Theme
  *home - Sunset Theme
  *accessibility - Blue Theme

Changing these files and then reloading the theme allows you to change your desktop background. A bunch of wallpapers are in /usr/share/wallpapers (and can be symlinked to save space).

{{howto:background_change.jpg|}}

[[http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=62928#p62928|Switching Wallpapers]] \\ 
[[http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=48453|Random wallpapers]]



===== Quick Hide Asus Easy Menu =====

This allows you, in Easy Mode, to minimize the Asus QuickLauncher into a tray icon next to the shutdown symbol.

  - Open a Terminal window.
  - Run this line:<code>sudo cp /usr/share/icewm/winoptions ~/.icewm/</code>
  - Run this line:<code>sudo kwrite ~/.icewm/winoptions</code>This starts Text Editor and opens **winoptions**.
  - Paste the following lines right after it says **#(re)install icewm.**:<code>AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dTitleBar: 0
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dBorder: 0
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dSysMenu: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dResize: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dClose: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dMinimize: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.dMaximize: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.layer.Normal
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.allWorkspaces: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.Workspace: 0
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.ignoreTaskBar: 0
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.fMove: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.fMaximise: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.fMinimise: 1
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.forcedClose: 0
AsusLauncher.AsusLauncher.tray: Exclusive</code>
  - Save the file, then restart your eeePC.



===== Luna =====

The window manager theme is set in /etc/X11/icewm/theme. Themes are available in /usr/share/icewm/themes.





===== Theme (Menu Bars etc.) =====

Files for each theme live in /usr/share/icewm/themes/Asus<Theme>/ where Theme is Green, Silver, Blue or Sunset. The files appear to be XPM files (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPM_(image_format)?).

There is an alternative version of the silver theme with smaller window decorations, smaller title fonts and a prettier taskbar available. To install it, open a shell <Ctrl-Alt-T> and type
<code>cd /home/user
wget http://www.cjdshaw.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/eeeicons/AsusSilverSmall.tgz
tar xvzf AsusSilverSmall.tgz
rm AsusSilverSmall.tgz</code>
and restart. If you want to go back to the old look, open a shell and type
<code>cd /home/user
rm -r .icewm/theme .icewm/AsusSilverSmall</code>


===== Adding New Items =====

Very simple...

Open up simpleui.rc, copy an entry (preferably one that will be in the same location for laziness' sake) then change the argument to the application exec command, change the title (in your language), then add your icons, and your set to go.

A handy entry is this:


	<parcel simplecat="Favorites" extraargs="/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/kwrite 	/opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc"
		icon="asus_norm.png"
		selected_icon="asus_hi.png" >
		<name lang="en">Menu Edit</name>
	</parcel>


This provides a shortcut to edit simpleui.rc to save a bit of time.

Note that here 'extraargs=".. .." ' is used. This seems to process what follows it as if typed into a command line. All references must be from root, as above, i.e. /usr/bin/sudo instead of just sudo. In contrast, some entries use 'shortcut=".. .." ', this is for when the application in question has an entry in /usr/share/applications/ . If this is the case the the command to use is 'shortcut="appname.desktop"'.

Obviously, if your working version of simpleui.rc is  /home/user/.AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc you will have to substitute that path for /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher/simpleui.rc in the code above.


===== Adding Website Links =====

To add a website link to a tab, you simply use the procedure above, the following example links to this website.

            <parcel simplecat="Favorites" extraargs="/usr/bin/firefox http://www.eeeuser.com"
              icon="web_norm.png"
              selected_icon="web_hi.png" >
              <name lang="en">Eee User</name>
            </parcel>

Just change the URL and Name to alter it to your requirements.



===== Note on Upgrades =====

It appears that when the system updates (possibly only through "sudo apt-get upgrade") it will overwrite your modified simpleui.rc file. It is therefore worth taking a copy of simpleui.rc and placing it somewhere such as your home directory, and then copying it back to /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher when it gets overwritten. **This will revert Asus' changes to the UI**, so you may wish to manually recomposite them together.

It is believed that this does not affect the working copy of simpleui.rc if it is in /home/user/.AsusLauncher/ but then any changes the upgrade makes to the simpleui.rc in /opt/xandros/share/AsusLauncher won't appear either and will need to be manually copied over.