This is a overview of Dragora-ice

What is Dragora-ice?

Dragora-ice is an icewm theme and config files configered to use xdotool, xmessage, and fittstool and tint2 as it’s main interaction interface. It obviously follows fitts's law and hicks law and generally tries to use commonsense. As well as the usual keyboard and menu driven interfaces it aim is to add a faster more intuitive way of launching applications and add constant visual feed back to the users interactions.

It is distro independent. It tries to follow “The Unix philosophy” and has been tested on icewm 1.3.7, 1.4.2, 1.5.5 and albeit breifly 1.6.2.

Depends: Everything required for the basic functionality not included by default in icewm.

xdotool: To convert keyboard shortcuts to mouse actions Used by icewm and fittstool. It’s used to add launchers to the taskbar and menu for tile, and casscade etc.

xmessage: To provide pop-up messages displaying launch options assosiated with screen area and mouse buttons used by fittstool.

The is also an option for sound hints. “Volume up” “Volume down” “tile vertically” etc. You don't require xmessage or notifications at all, but they are useful and pretty unobtrusive.

Xresorces: The Xresorces file is edited to match the Dragora-ice.theme

ogg123: To provide sound support to actions in fittstool.

tint2: Configured to replace the standard workspace feature in icewm taskbar which by design, tends to favour “the do certain jobs on certain workspaces model.”

The aim is to provide a constant visual feed back of what applications are open and on which workspace. Which workspace is active and which window has focus, removing the need to do anything bar look at the tint2 panel.

It also provides good support for moving windows between workspaces via drag n drop. which is missing from icewm taskbar. It has been themed to match and maximize space for application icons, with particular attention paid to giving good feedback via highlighting.

All duplication of features already in icewm have been disabled. cpu, clock etc

Fittstool: There are many reasons for me loving fittstool.

Unashamedly mouse based. The computer mouse has been part and parcel of computer use for many years and is now over 50 years old. Just about everyone uses one and knows how to use one.

1. My typing sucks! and I struggle to recognise the subtleties of text.
2. An easier/faster interface that is intuitive to learn and use.
3. I wanted an interface that could be adapted for use on phones and tablets.
4. Super light. It’s worth it for the volume control alone.

Usage:

Start fittstool, via the menu or icewm-taskbar. To avoid duplicate instances relaunching kills all curently running ones.

Launching applications is point and click.

That’s 2 actions...though it could reasonable be argued to be ONE as you have to move/point your fingers to type. I’ll say that again TWO ACTIONS for up to 56 launchers Point, Click.

Let’s compare.

Menus and run-dialogs and keyboard shortcuts are still there and fully functional. Nice to have but unless you have the memory of an elephant, require more learning, interaction and time. e.g. to launch rox via a keyboad shortcut. CTL+Alt+R That’s 3 actions. Run dialog CTL+space r o x is 5 actions. Menu is point, click, scroll, click. 4 actions.

Now the whole point of following fitts's law is your not aiming at a small target. You're aiming at the barn door! There is nothing covering the launcher, so no need to move windows. Run with windows maximized or full screen even and it works just fine. To use the above example with fittstool, launching rox is click(left Mouse button) in the TopLeft corner. I would suggest users try it. It’s easy and fast.

Available target positions: TopLeft, TopCenter, TopRight, Right, BottomRight, BottomCenter, BottomLeft, Left,

Available actions for the launchers: LeftButton, RightButton, MiddleButton, WheelUp, WheelDown, WheelUpOnce, WheelDownOnce, Enter, Leave
I have Enter and Leave used for the Xmessage notifications, the other actions are your choice

When you enter a hotspot with your cursor you get a small xmessage displaying what you can launch and a short soft “woosh” sound to signal entry in to the target area. I thought it might be a useful option for people with poor eyesight and to confirm you have trigered the launch of heavy applications like a big browser or libre-office. Changing the config is a simple edit.

~.config/fittstool/fittstoolrc

edit the config to suit and restart.

Each area having 9 launchers. There are currently 8 areas so 72 possible launcers without notifications and 56 with.

Notifications are not soley for learning. They are small, only display when the cursor is in the launch area.

Each launch area is catigorised. Of course these are up to the user. Mine are.

Files: File-managers, Rox, nnn, spacefm etc Utils: Terminal, lock-screen etc Windows: Tiling, casscade etc Media: MPV, burning etc Chat: irc, mumble, pidgin etc Internet: Browser, email, torrents etc Editing: Leafpad, Geany, Office etc Sound: Mixer, Toggle sound, Music, Volume

The areas are:

Topleft: TopCenter: TopRight: Right: BottomRight: BottomCenter: BottomLeft: Left:

Bugs: yes. The bug has been found thanks to “Frusen" So before building.

in fittstool.c line 61 char commands[9][100]; changing it to char commands[9][200];

Or higher fixes it currenty (but of course if you add more than 200 charactors it will need rebuilt again). It seem that the original dev never envisaged someone like me adding more than 100 characters to the command

Enjoy :-)

fittsen: A fork of fittstool is underway “fittsen” with another 4 launch areas planned for better dual screen support. This will take the number of availible launchers to 108. Or discounting notifications to 84: The idea is not really about adding more launchers I think 20-25 covers 90% of most users needs (half of an inch mouse movement) but rather to reduce the travel time/distance to the launch area I find I have to move my mouse about 45mm to get from one side of my 24" screen to the other and 90mm when running dual screens. Ideally I want to keep longer mouse movements to a minimum.

TopCenterLeft: TopCenterRight: BottomCenterLeft: BottomCenterRight:

The Launchers are the same as fittstool: