Conky as a working desktop file

[Snowhog]

Okay, help an old goober out.

How the heck does one get conky to autostart now? You have two choices under Autostart -- Add Program and Add Script. Conky is a program, but choosing that and navigating to /usr/bin/conky isn't working for me. So, I copied an existing and working .desktop file entry (yakuake) and replaced all relevant entries with conky. Once done doing that, Conky shows up as an enabled Desktop File in Autostart, but logging out/rebooting doesn't result in conky starting and appearing on the Desktop after I've logged in.

How do I make conky autostart?

[GreyGeek]

How about adding it as an executable script under ~/.profile ?

[vinnywright]

I have mine in the "desktop file" section (add program) and the "conky.desktop" file in /home/vinny/.config/autostart/ contains ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Desktop Entry]
Comment[en_US]=
Comment=
Exec=conky
GenericName[en_US]=
GenericName=
Icon=system-run
MimeType=
Name[en_US]=
Name=
Path=
StartupNotify=true
Terminal=false
TerminalOptions=
Type=Application
X-DBUS-ServiceName=
X-DBUS-StartupType=
X-KDE-SubstituteUID=false
X-KDE-Username=

and it dose start on login ,,,,,,but it still disappears now and then until something is clicked .

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Well go figure. It's actually been awhile since I tried adding conky 'as a program' in Autostart. But I did; logged out and back in, and viola, conky is there on my Desktop. I guess and old dog can be taught new tricks!

[Snowhog]

I have mine in the "desktop file" section (add program) and the "conky.desktop" file in /home/vinny/.config/autostart/ contains ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Desktop Entry]
Comment[en_US]=
Comment=
Exec=conky
GenericName[en_US]=
GenericName=
Icon=system-run
MimeType=
Name[en_US]=
Name=
Path=
StartupNotify=true
Terminal=false
TerminalOptions=
Type=Application
X-DBUS-ServiceName=
X-DBUS-StartupType=
X-KDE-SubstituteUID=false
X-KDE-Username=

and it dose start on login ,,,,,,but it still disappears now and then until something is clicked .

VINNY

The generated conky.desktop file (in ~/.config/autostart/) looks exactly like yours except for the Exec= line. Mine shows the full path to conky (/usr/bin/conky). Otherwise the file contents are identical.

[vinnywright]

Well go figure. It's actually been awhile since I tried adding conky 'as a program' in Autostart. But I did; logged out and back in, and viola, conky is there on my Desktop. I guess and old dog can be taught new tricks!

Woof WOOF ,,,,,,,,

VINNY

[wizard10000]

bump. Sorry I missed this

My desktop file:

[Desktop Entry]
Exec=conky -d
Icon=system-run
OnlyShowIn=KDE;
Path=
Terminal=false
Type=Application

Some interesting tweaks

From the top, cpu freq number changes color if running at less than max speed (I change CPU governor from performance to powersave when on battery).

CPU bar *border* color (not the whole bar) changes color based on CPU load.

Battery bar border color and time below it change color based on battery level.

We change border colors by overlaying a different color bar with a value of zero.



And - my conky.conf just in case anyone wants to borrow some stuff -

conky.config = {
    
    -- conky setup
	
    update_interval = 1,
    update_interval_on_battery = 5,
    background = true,
    total_run_times = 0,
    cpu_avg_samples = 1,
    no_buffers = true,
    text_buffer_size = 2048,
    temperature_unit = 'celsius',
    override_utf8_locale = true,
	
    -- set up window
	
    alignment = 'top_right',
    gap_x = 20,
    gap_y = 72,
    maximum_width = 200,
    double_buffer = true,
    background = true,
    own_window = true,
    own_window_transparent = true,
    own_window_type = 'dock',
    own_window_argb_visual = true,
    own_window_hints = 'undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',
    draw_borders = false,
    draw_shades = false,
    draw_outline = false,
    draw_graph_borders = true,
    default_bar_size = '4 180',
    use_xft = true,
    font = 'Arial:size=11',
    uppercase = false,
    short_units = true,
	
    -- colors
	
    color0 = '68696b', -- bar/graph color
    color1 = 'cccccc', -- text color
    color7 = '4dff4d', -- green
    color8 = 'ffff4d', -- yellow
    color9 = 'ff4d4d', -- red

}

    -- text

conky.text = [[
${font Arial:size=24}${color1}${alignc}${time %l:%M %P}${font}
${font Arial:size=9}${alignc}  ${time %A}, ${time %B} ${time %e}${font}

uptime:${alignr}${uptime}
${color1}cpu freq:${alignr}${if_match ${freq 1} < 1734}${color8}${endif}${freq 1}${color1} mhz
${color1}cpu temp:${alignr}${if_match ${i8k_cpu_temp} > 75}${color8}${endif}${if_match ${i8k_cpu_temp} > 90}${color9}${endif}${i8k_cpu_temp}°C

${font Arial:size=10}${color1}${goto 36}${voffset -2}cpu 0${goto 156}${cpu cpu1}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu1}${if_match ${cpu cpu1} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu1} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 1${goto 156}${cpu cpu2}%
${color0}${goto 6}${voffset -2}${cpubar cpu2}${if_match ${cpu cpu2} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu2} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 2${goto 156}${cpu cpu3}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu3}${if_match ${cpu cpu3} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu3} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 3${goto 156}${cpu cpu4}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu4}${if_match ${cpu cpu4} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu4} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 4${goto 156}${cpu cpu5}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu5}${if_match ${cpu cpu5} >= 50}${color8}${cpubar cpu5}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu5} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 5${goto 156}${cpu cpu6}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu6}${if_match ${cpu cpu1} >= 50}${color8}${cpubar cpu6}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu6} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 6${goto 156}${cpu cpu7}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu7}${if_match ${cpu cpu7} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu7} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${color1}${goto 36}cpu 7${goto 156}${cpu cpu8}%
${color0}${goto 6}${cpubar cpu8}${if_match ${cpu cpu1} >= 50}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${cpu cpu1} >= 75}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${font}

${color1}memory:${alignr}$mem / $memmax
${color0}${goto 6}${membar 4,180} ${if_existing /proc/swaps partition}

${color1}swap:${alignr}$swap / $swapmax
${color0}${goto 6}${swapbar} ${endif}

${color1}root:${alignr}${fs_used /} / ${fs_size /}
${color0}${goto 6}${fs_bar /}

${color1}/home:${alignr}${fs_used /home} / ${fs_size /home}
${color0}${goto 6}${fs_bar /home}
${color0}${voffset 6}${alignc}disk i/o:
${color1}${alignc}${diskio}

${color1}${if_existing /proc/net/route wlan0}
${color1}${voffset -34}wlan:${alignr}${wireless_link_qual_perc wlan0}%
${color0}${goto 6}${wireless_link_bar 4,180 wlan0}
${alignc}${color0}${voffset 8}dn: ${color1}${downspeedf wlan0}${color0} kbps
${alignc}up: ${color1}${upspeedf wlan0}${color0} kbps${endif}

${color1}${voffset -10}battery:${alignr}${battery_percent}%
${color0}${goto 6}${battery_bar}${if_match ${battery_percent} <= 99}${color8}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}${if_match ${battery_percent} <= 10}${color9}${goto 6}${execbar echo 0}${endif}
${alignc}${voffset 8}${battery_time}

${color1}${alignc}${voffset -12}${nodename}
${color0}${alignc}kernel: ${kernel}
]]

[wizard10000]

...and it dose start on login ,,,,,,but it still disappears now and then until something is clicked

Mine doesn't do that and hasn't in quite some time, Vinny - I also was able to get rid of the window rule I had to run awhile back to keep the window visible - conky works just fine as long as own_window_type is set to 'dock'.

Running Sid, but if yours is still broken there is hope coming down the software channel

[vinnywright]

Mine doesn't do that and hasn't in quite some time, Vinny - I also was able to get rid of the window rule I had to run awhile back to keep the window visible - conky works just fine as long as own_window_type is set to 'dock'.

Running Sid, but if yours is still broken there is hope coming down the software channel

mine is set to "dock" ,,,,,, but I do see some Syntax difference in our scripts you have "=" and 'ticks', in yours and if I start conky in a term. I get this

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ conky: [COLOR=#ff0000]Syntax error (/home/vinny/.conkyrc:1: '=' expected near 'no') while reading config file. 
conky: Assuming it's in old syntax and attempting conversion.[/COLOR]
conky: desktop window (240000f) is subwindow of root window (28c)
conky: window type - dock
conky: drawing to created window (0x3400002)
conky: drawing to double buffer
^C

mine (.conkyrc) looks like this (relevant section)

 background no
 use_xft yes
xftfont Ubuntu Mono:size=9
update_interval 3.0
total_run_times 0
own_window yes
own_window_type dock
own_window_argb_visual yes
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
double_buffer yes
minimum_size 220 5
maximum_width 220
draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders yes
default_color gray
#default_shade_color black
alignment top_right
gap_x 12
gap_y 35
cpu_avg_samples 2
override_utf8_locale yes
uppercase yes # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
#display LDVS-0

VINNY

[wizard10000]

mine is set to "dock" ,,,,,, but I do see some Syntax difference in our scripts you have "=" and 'ticks', in yours and if I start conky in a term. I get this

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ conky: [COLOR=#ff0000]Syntax error (/home/vinny/.conkyrc:1: '=' expected near 'no') while reading config file. 
conky: Assuming it's in old syntax and attempting conversion.[/COLOR]
conky: desktop window (240000f) is subwindow of root window (28c)
conky: window type - dock
conky: drawing to created window (0x3400002)
conky: drawing to double buffer
^C

Config format changed with conky v1.10, Vinny

mine (.conkyrc) looks like this (relevant section)

 background no
 use_xft yes
xftfont Ubuntu Mono:size=9
update_interval 3.0
total_run_times 0
own_window yes
own_window_type dock
own_window_argb_visual yes
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
double_buffer yes
minimum_size 220 5
maximum_width 220
draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders yes
default_color gray
#default_shade_color black
alignment top_right
gap_x 12
gap_y 35
cpu_avg_samples 2
override_utf8_locale yes
uppercase yes # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
#display LDVS-0

Let me see if I can fix that for you. If that doesn't work here's a quick readme - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...syntax_changed (there's a link to a convert script there too) but here's what I came up with -

conky.config = {

-- comments now start this way instead of with a #  :)
-- all config items require a trailing comma
-- all string variables are enclosed in single quotes
-- numbers and boolean operators don't get single quotes but yes = true and no = false now
-- i'm not sure whether minimum_size = '220 5', is a string or not - if it doesn't work try without single quotes.

background = false,
use_xft = true,
font = 'Ubuntu Mono:size=9',
update_interval = 3.0,
total_run_times = 0,
own_window = true,
own_window_type = 'dock',
own_window_argb_visual = true,
own_window_transparent = true,
own_window_hints = 'undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',
double_buffer = true,
minimum_size = '220 5',
maximum_width = 220,
draw_shades = false,
draw_outline = false,
draw_borders = false,
draw_graph_borders = true,
default_color = 'gray',
-- default_shade_color = 'black',
alignment = 'top_right',
gap_x = 12,
gap_y = 35,
cpu_avg_samples = 2,
override_utf8_locale = true,
uppercase = true, 
-- set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
-- display LDVS-0
}

conky.text = [[

-- text goes here.  no changes to text format except opening and closing commands.

]]

[vinnywright]

Config format changed with conky v1.10, Vinny



Let me see if I can fix that for you. If that doesn't work here's a quick readme - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...syntax_changed (there's a link to a convert script there too) but here's what I came up with -

conky.config = {

-- comments now start this way instead of with a #  :)
-- all config items require a trailing comma
-- all string variables are enclosed in single quotes
-- numbers and boolean operators don't get single quotes but yes = true and no = false now
-- i'm not sure whether minimum_size = '220 5', is a string or not - if it doesn't work try without single quotes.

background = false,
use_xft = true,
font = 'Ubuntu Mono:size=9',
update_interval = 3.0,
total_run_times = 0,
own_window = true,
own_window_type = 'dock',
own_window_argb_visual = true,
own_window_transparent = true,
own_window_hints = 'undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',
double_buffer = true,
minimum_size = '220 5',
maximum_width = 220,
draw_shades = false,
draw_outline = false,
draw_borders = false,
draw_graph_borders = true,
default_color = 'gray',
-- default_shade_color = 'black',
alignment = 'top_right',
gap_x = 12,
gap_y = 35,
cpu_avg_samples = 2,
override_utf8_locale = true,
uppercase = true, 
-- set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
-- display LDVS-0
}

conky.text = [[

-- text goes here.  no changes to text format except opening and closing commands.

]]

using your edits now ,,,,,,they work but we will see about the flashing in and out as time goes by .

one thing I did note was the ]] at the end of the "TEXT" section,,,,, if to close to the bottom of the text cut off my 2 graphics ,,,,,I had to keep adding blank lines between the bottom of the text and the ]] ,,,until all of the graphics showed

thank you for the edits

the only quirk I see in a terminal start is ,,,,,,,,,,

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ conky&
[1] 19910
vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ conky: desktop window (240000f) is subwindow of root window (28c)
conky: window type - dock
conky: drawing to created window (0x4400002)
conky: drawing to double buffer
[COLOR=#ff0000]conky: Unknown setting 'minimum_size'[/COLOR]

VINNY

[Snowhog]

minimum_size isn't a setting in wizard10000's conky file.

[vinnywright]

minimum_size isn't a setting in wizard10000's conky file.

apparently ,,,,,,and commenting it out "--" had no ill affect ,,,and on a reload ,,,,,,,,,,,

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:~$ conky: '/home/vinny/.conkyrc' modified, reloading...
conky: desktop window (240000f) is subwindow of root window (28c)
conky: window type - dock
conky: drawing to created window (0x4400002)
conky: drawing to double buffer

no more quirks ,,,,,,

VINNY

[wizard10000]

minimum_size isn't a setting in wizard10000's conky file.

It's possible that setting is looking for two numbers instead of a string; wasn't sure how conky would handle that. I'd try removing the single quotes from minimum_size and if that doesn't work or doesn't make any difference I'd get rid of it

[vinnywright]

It's possible that setting is looking for two numbers instead of a string; wasn't sure how conky would handle that. I'd try removing the single quotes from minimum_size and if that doesn't work or doesn't make any difference I'd get rid of it

removing the signal quotes resulted in a crash .......... I commented it out.

VINNY