How to Customize the LXDE Desktop | |  |
The LXDE desktop, despite it's lightweight footprint, allows a good deal of customization. In this article, we will look at the basic configuration of a new LXDE Panel as well as the Desktop wallpaper and icon fonts. The following screenshots are taken from the LXDE Desktop of Lubuntu 12.04.
LXDE Panel Configuration is, in many ways, similar to that of Gnome 2.x and KDE. You can create a new LXDE Panel by right-clicking over an exiting panel and choose the Create New Panel option:
A multi-tabbed dialogue box will open up:
The default (Geometry) tab, allows you to specify the position (-left/right/top/bottom of the screen), size (height/width) and icon size of the new panel:
The Appearance tab, allows you to specify the position (-colour, transparency, wallpaper) and font type/size of the new panel:
The Panel Applets tab, allows you to specify and alter the icons/functions (-akin to KDE Widgets) to be displayed in the new panel. To add a new Panel Applet click on the Add button:
A new dialogue box will open up containing a scrollable list of the available Panel Applets: simply select the desired applet then click the Add button to insert it:
The new Panel Applet should now be listed in the Panel Applets tab - and you should see it's icon in the Panel itself:
Note: you can change the order of a Panel Applet by selecting it and clicking the Up or Down button
The Advanced tab, allows you to alter how the Panel is displayed (-such as hiding it until the mouse is passed over it):
When you have configured the new Panel as desired, click the Close button.
An existing LXDE Panel can be updated by right-clicking on the desired panel and then choosing the "Panel Settings" option:
An existing LXDE Panel can be deleted by right-clicking on the desired panel and then choosing the "Delete this Panel" option:
LXDE also allows you to change the Desktop Background (-or Wallpaper) by right-clicking the Desktop and selecting the Desktop Preferences option. A dialogue box will display:
The default Appearance tab allows you to select an image file to use for the wallpaper (-in the image above it is 1204-happy-new-year.png) and to specify how that image is to be displayed - via the Background options.
The Text options allow you to specify the font type and size to label icons on the desktop.