I’m currently exploring replacing GNOME with KDE Plasma on thin clients when we transition from Ubuntu 20.04 to 22.04 (or 24.04 if HP Anywhere will have PCoIP ready by then).
With GNOME having the ability to use dconf to edit keybindings, default applications, favorite apps on the sidebar, etc., what’s the best & most efficient to do the same things with Plasma?
I found this Kconfig Ansible module from this post , and it seems a little sparse.
Here are some of the settings I wanna change by default:
Setting window rules for a specific application (HP Anywhere PCoIP ) - do I just put that in /etc/skel? What if I wanna modify for other pre-existing users? Find all instances in /home? Anyway to make sure that non-admins can’t change it?
Change pinned applications on the task manager. I want to be able to keep some items pinned all the time (i.e. removed application comes back after next login)
Change default key-binding for a specific application for all users (i.e. I wanna assign Print Screen to Flameshot (did that for GNOME) or disable Meta key (just an example).
3 Likes
The title is oddly specific and doesnt describe your core issue here: how to change GUI settings through a terminal interface?
You may want to rephrase it.
I am also curious, as there seems to be no general interface.
I updated it. Hope it’s clearer?
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As of now, besides /etc/skel, there’s also KDE Kiosk framework which was mentioned by @David_Edmundson in the article “Trusting content on the KDE Store”
Relevant information (sorry, I can’t post links here):
Topic “KDE in the Ansible Community Collection” at discuss_kde_org, also the issue “Possible future tutorial: Deploy Plasma with Ansible” at the invent_kde_org)
Suggested KDE Goal " Simplify maintainance, automation and remote assistance for Sysadmin" (T17448 at phabricator_kde_org)
3 Likes
xaltsevenx:
As of now, besides /etc/skel, there’s also KDE Kiosk framework which was mentioned by @David_Edmundson in the article “Trusting content on the KDE Store”
Relevant information (sorry, I can’t post links here):
Just gonna add these for bookmarking purposes:
https://blog.davidedmundson.co.uk/blog/kde-store-content/
If I were to configure the default icon shortcuts in plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc (placing it in /etc/xdg)
[Containments][2][Applets][22][Configuration]
localPath=/home/jgamao/.local/share/plasma_icons/firefox_firefox.desktop
url=file:///var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/firefox_firefox.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][23]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][23][Configuration]
localPath=/home/jgamao/.local/share/plasma_icons/google-chrome.desktop
url=file:///usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][24]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][24][Configuration]
localPath=/home/jgamao/.local/share/plasma_icons/org.kde.dolphin.desktop
url=file:///usr/share/applications/org.kde.dolphin.desktop
what do I put instead in localPath?
- name: Setup KWin rules
ansible.builtin.blockinfile:
dest: /etc/xdg/kwinrulesrc
create: true
marker: "#### {mark}"
mode: "0644"
content: |
[$Version]
update_info=kwinrules.upd:replace-placement-string-to-enum,kwinrules.upd:use-virtual-desktop-ids
[1]
Description=PCoIP
clientmachine=localhost
clientmachinematch=0
disableglobalshortcuts=true
disableglobalshortcutsrule=2
fpplevel=4
fpplevelrule=2
title=Anyware PCoIP Client
titlematch=0
wmclass=pcoip-client
wmclasscomplete=false
wmclassmatch=1
[General]
XftAntialias[$d]
XftHintStyle[$d]
XftSubPixel[$d]
count=1
rules=1
[KDE]
LookAndFeelPackage[$d]
SingleClick[$d]
- name: Setup Plasma org.kde.panel
ansible.builtin.blockinfile:
dest: /etc/xdg/plasmashellrc
create: true
marker: "#### {mark}"
mode: "0644"
content: |
[PlasmaViews][Panel 2][Defaults]
floating=0
thickness=28
- name: Setup Plasma layout
ansible.builtin.blockinfile:
dest: /etc/xdg/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc
create: true
marker: "#### {mark}"
mode: "0644"
content: |
[ActionPlugins][0]
MiddleButton;NoModifier=org.kde.paste
RightButton;NoModifier=org.kde.contextmenu
wheel:Vertical;NoModifier=org.kde.switchdesktop
[ActionPlugins][1]
RightButton;NoModifier=org.kde.contextmenu
[Containments][2]
activityId=
formfactor=2
immutability=1
lastScreen=0
location=4
plugin=org.kde.panel
wallpaperplugin=org.kde.image
[Containments][2][Applets][22]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][22][Configuration]
url=file:///var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/firefox_firefox.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][23]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][23][Configuration]
url=file:///usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][24]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][24][Configuration]
url=file:///usr/share/applications/org.kde.dolphin.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][25]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.icon
[Containments][2][Applets][25][Configuration]
localPath=/home/jgamao/.local/share/plasma_icons/pcoip-client.desktop
url=file:///usr/share/applications/pcoip-client.desktop
[Containments][2][Applets][3]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.kickoff
[Containments][2][Applets][3][Configuration]
PreloadWeight=100
[Containments][2][Applets][3][Configuration][Configuration/General]
showAppsByName=true
[Containments][2][Applets][3][Configuration][General]
favorites=preferred://browser,org.kde.discover.desktop,org.kde.kontact.desktop,org.kde.kate.desktop,libreoffice-startcenter.desktop,org.kde.dolphin.desktop,org.kde.plasma-systemmonitor.desktop,systemsettings.desktop,org.kde.konsole.desktop
favoritesPortedToKAstats=true
[Containments][2][Applets][3][Configuration][Shortcuts]
global=Alt+F1
[Containments][2][Applets][3][Shortcuts]
global=Alt+F1
[Containments][2][Applets][4]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.pager
[Containments][2][Applets][5]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.taskmanager
[Containments][2][Applets][5][Configuration][General]
launchers=
[Containments][2][Applets][6]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.systemtray
[Containments][2][Applets][6][Configuration]
SystrayContainmentId=7
[Containments][2][Applets][8]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.digitalclock
[Containments][2][Applets][9]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.minimizeall
[Containments][2][ConfigDialog]
DialogHeight=84
DialogWidth=1920
[Containments][2][General]
AppletOrder=3;4;22;23;24;25;5;6;8;9
[Containments][21]
ItemGeometries-1920x1080=
ItemGeometriesHorizontal=
activityId=48555a24-f062-4429-8ab6-bd50221ff2f3
formfactor=0
immutability=1
lastScreen=0
location=0
plugin=org.kde.plasma.folder
wallpaperplugin=org.kde.image
[Containments][21][Wallpaper][org.kde.image][General]
Image=file:///usr/share/wallpapers/Next/contents/images/1920x1080.jpg
[Containments][7]
activityId=
formfactor=2
immutability=1
lastScreen=0
location=4
plugin=org.kde.plasma.private.systemtray
wallpaperplugin=org.kde.image
[Containments][7][Applets][10]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.volume
[Containments][7][Applets][11]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.clipboard
[Containments][7][Applets][12]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.devicenotifier
[Containments][7][Applets][13]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.kdeconnect
[Containments][7][Applets][14]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.keyboardindicator
[Containments][7][Applets][15]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.nightcolorcontrol
[Containments][7][Applets][16]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.notifications
[Containments][7][Applets][17]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.printmanager
[Containments][7][Applets][18]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.vault
[Containments][7][Applets][19]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.battery
[Containments][7][Applets][20]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.networkmanagement
[Containments][7][Applets][21]
immutability=1
plugin=org.kde.plasma.bluetooth
[Containments][7][General]
extraItems=org.kde.plasma.devicenotifier,org.kde.plasma.printmanager,org.kde.plasma.networkmanagement,org.kde.plasma.bluetooth,org.kde.plasma.battery,org.kde.plasma.nightcolorcontrol,org.kde.plasma.vault,org.kde.plasma.notifications,org.kde.plasma.mediacontroller,org.kde.plasma.keyboardindicator,org.kde.plasma.volume,org.kde.plasma.clipboard,org.kde.plasma.manage-inputmethod,org.kde.kupapplet,org.kde.plasma.keyboardlayout
knownItems=org.kde.plasma.devicenotifier,org.kde.plasma.printmanager,org.kde.plasma.networkmanagement,org.kde.plasma.bluetooth,org.kde.plasma.battery,org.kde.plasma.nightcolorcontrol,org.kde.plasma.vault,org.kde.plasma.notifications,org.kde.plasma.mediacontroller,org.kde.plasma.keyboardindicator,org.kde.plasma.volume,org.kde.plasma.clipboard,org.kde.plasma.manage-inputmethod,org.kde.kupapplet,org.kde.plasma.keyboardlayout
[ScreenMapping]
itemsOnDisabledScreens=
So far, only KWin rules applied.
the panel didn’t change
In case it might help, this is my Ansible playbook for KDE, described here:
I’m using community.general.ini_file for KDE configuration files.
I tried this documentation from KDE Developer website by using javascript, but no dice