Replicating the functionality of a "Home" key?


TheGrandPubaa

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I tend to use XFCE on my Pandora since it allows for full-on multitasking, whereas I have found Minimenu somewhat limiting, but it gets to me sometimes when I have to use the mouse(nubs) to launch apps or switch apps or what have you. I realize it's an actual computer and not strictly a game console, but i've been spoiled in the past I guess. I'm wondering if there's a simple way to tweak in some kind of a "Home button" functionality, a la PSP/PS3/Xbox 360. I realize the Pandora button - beyond killing apps - activates the XFCE application menu and you can use the dpad to navigate, but that's still kind of clunky and lacks task-switching.


What I was thinking was a certain button combination could launch an app such as Wbar, and while it's active, you can navigate through your applications with the dpad and choose one to launch or switch to using one of the gaming buttons - and then it goes back into hiding when you press the button combination again. I would love to avoid using the mouse wherever possible for basic usage - sort of merge the simplicity of Minimenu with the flexibility of XFCE, you know? I'm not sure what an appropriate hotkey combination would be that wouldn't interfere with other running applications, but for all I know, that might be a cakewalk compared to actually implementing something like this.


This thread details something similar, but i'm not sure exactly how to utilize it. I'm definitely no programmer, so that's out. :p


Just fishing for ideas. Maybe something similar has already been done or maybe it's a simple script to throw together.
 
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Whilst it's only useful for apps within Xfce (and to my knowledge doesn't tend to work with emulators and the like), you can use Alt and Tab for switching those, as with other OSes.
 
Whilst it's only useful for apps within Xfce (and to my knowledge doesn't tend to work with emulators and the like), you can use Alt and Tab for switching those, as with other OSes.

The problem with doing that on the pandora is that it takes Start/ALT + Fn + Tab, which is just incredibly awkward.
 
If you mouse to the lower right corner, XFCE has an up-arrow looking thing that, when clicked, shows a list of all the running applications on all workspaces. It's not a home-key, but it's fairly easy to reach, it's just navigating to the lower right corner.
 
^ Good one! You should also be able to access that with a middle-click on the desktop, too - that should be mapped to down on the right nub, by default (or was it up? I can never remember this one without my Pandora to hand...).
 
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^ Good one! You should also be able to access that with a middle-click on the desktop, too - that should be mapped to down on the right nub, by default (or was it up? I can never remember this one without my Pandora to hand...).

Down = Middle Click.


Up = Double Click.


Don't know how I remember it, but that's what it does.
 
Thanks. I thought it was up for double-clicking, as that one always strikes me as being like gesturing the nub toward whatever's being double-clicked, almost as if it's some sort of magic trick. :lol:
 
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Whilst it's only useful for apps within Xfce (and to my knowledge doesn't tend to work with emulators and the like), you can use Alt and Tab for switching those, as with other OSes.

The problem with doing that on the pandora is that it takes Start/ALT + Fn + Tab, which is just incredibly awkward.

With Fn being next to Space/Tab its actually less awkward than you may think. Tab can be triggered by positioning the thumb over both buttons then rolling it from Fn to Space. If you do that while holding Start/Alt with the other thumb you can switch tasks with a minimum of fuss.


As for the mouse buttons I actually find down for middle click quite counter-intuitive, and tend to end up double clicking instead. I keep meaning to find a way to invert the two but have yet to get around to it.
 
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