The watch-xfce-xfconf monitors XFCE settings in real time and prints the corresponding xfconf-query commands whenever a setting is modified through the graphical interface.
Configuration changes performed in components such as xfce4-settings-manager, Thunar, Catfish, Ristretto, and other XFCE applications are translated into explicit xfconf-query commands. These commands reveal how XFCE 4 persists and applies configuration at the Xfconf layer.
The generated commands can be reused to modify or create XFCE 4 settings programmatically, including desktop backgrounds, panel layouts, window decorations, window manager behavior, and related preferences.
By displaying the xfconf-query commands, watch-xfce-xfconf allows to easily create a Shell script that can be used to automate the configuration of XFCE 4, which provides several benefits:
- It saves time and effort by eliminating the need to manually adjust settings on each individual machine,
- It reduces the risk of errors and inconsistencies that may arise from manually configuring settings on different machines,
- Finally, it allows focusing on other important tasks rather than spending time configuring XFCE 4 manually.
The watch-xfce-xfconf tool is useful for users who want to replicate XFCE 4 settings across different users or computers.
Here is an example of an XFCE customization script created with the help of watch-xfce-xfconf: jc-xfce-settings @GitHub.
If watch-xfce-xfconf enhances your workflow, please show your support by ⭐ starring watch-xfce-xfconf on GitHub to help more users discover its benefits.
Installation
To install the watch-xfce-xfconf executable locally in ~/.local/bin/watch-xfce-xfconf using pip, run:
pip install --user watch-xfce-xfconf(Omitting the --user flag will install watch-xfce-xfconf system-wide in /usr/local/bin/watch-xfce-xfconf.)
Usage
Run xfce4-settings-manager in the background:
xfce4-settings-manager &After that, execute watch-xfce-xfconf:
~/.local/bin/watch-xfce-xfconfOnce you begin modifying XFCE 4 settings using xfce4-settings-manager, watch-xfce-xfconf will automatically display the corresponding xfconf-query commands in the terminal. These xfconf-query commands can be easily copied and pasted into a Shell script, allowing for quick and efficient automation of XFCE 4 configuration across multiple machines.
Author and License
The watch-xfce-xfconf tool has been written by James Cherti and is distributed under terms of the MIT license.
Features
- Parses XML files that are located in the directory:
~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/, - Monitors changes in XFCE 4 settings / Xfconf,
- Displays xfconf-query commands with correctly escaped special characters in their arguments.
- Reloads Xfconf when it is necessary.