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start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:53 am
by Jerry3904
I am looking at having the Task Manager be minimized in the Notification Area on login, because it is so handy both with mouse-over (which gives processes, cpu, memory and swap) and of course launched. I tried a number of different approaches, without success, so finally posted on the Xfce Forum.
ToZ confirmed that the usual procedures don't work, so he suggested using a script:
Code: Select all
#!/bin/bash
xfce4-taskmanager &
sleep 1
xdotool windowminimize $(wmctrl -l | grep "Task Manager" | awk '{print $1}')
I created a script with that, made it executable, then pointed to it with a new entry in Session and Startup. It didn't work, so I stepped through the commands and discovered that wmctrl is not installed. Once installed, all was good; so I post it here in case anyone else is interested in using it.
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:58 am
by richb
That would be a nice addition.
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:04 pm
by Jerry3904
Yeah, I'm thinking of proposing it after some testing for the next MX release. The idea of needing only a single click to get to be able to kill something or monitor activity fits well with the MX approach IMO.
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:28 pm
by asqwerth
Does this add much in terms of RAM and CPU used? Esp for weaker hardware? Because if so, it might be better not to make it autostart by default.
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:29 pm
by Jerry3904
No clue--but I haven't proposed it yet...
EDIT: here is what is happening on my system with it displayed
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:54 pm
by Paul..
Nice idea...productize!!
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:06 pm
by skidoo
a taskmanager is preferable to xkill aka "force kill" utility b/c in certain environments (maybe not xfce) user may kill the entire session by accidentally clicking the desktop (root window).
> Does this add much in terms of RAM and CPU used?
With attention to that, might tweak the default taskmanager config so that it updates its output less frequently. (Stock default is 1000ms refresh? Change to 3000?) Someone should check -- I think I did so, but foggy memory -- use htop or similar while taskmanager is running; IIRC, it incurs "just as much" cpu load while trayed as it does while its window is displayed.
jerry3904
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:09 pm
by Jerry3904
Good way to go
EDIT: dropped it 750 ms to 2s, cpu% lowered more than half. Can explore this some more...
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 6:40 pm
by Richard
On 32 bit netbook,
@ 750 ms, cpu% approx. 9-13% (the default)
@2500 ms, cpu% approx. 4-6%
Still too high to leave running by default on this one.
Re: start Task Manager minimized
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 6:55 pm
by richb
With the default setting on my machine runs between 0% and 1%.