How to let an icon in the launcher wiggle?
Trying to let my python application inform the user by wiggling or shaking its icon in the launcher, I found:
Wiggling seems to be the "urgent animation": How can I change the wiggle time of 'urgent animation' in Unity Launcher?
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Unity/LauncherAPI describes an API with a function to set an urgent flag on a LaucherEntry. But the vala example doesn't use it and the python example doesn't show any visual effect on my Ubuntu 11.10 for setting (or clearing) the "urgent" property (progress and count are working). The example python code does not use the API-C function unity_launcher_entry_set_urgent, but writes to the property directly, which maybe is the problem (and means not using the API in an API documentation example ...)
So, I am looking for a working python "wiggle" example. Or a working C example. Or some hints, why this is not working.
Solution 1:
Check out the Python example in the Unity developer documentation, and try hello-unity (only compatible with Ubuntu 12.04). These are good places to start.
Here's some bit of Python code that will make your app's icon wiggle in the launcher. It's for Ubuntu 12.04, but looking at the API documentation, it should also work for 11.10.
from gi.repository import Unity
self.launcher = Unity.LauncherEntry.get_for_desktop_id("myapp.desktop")
self.launcher.set_property("urgent", True)
Solution 2:
This example works for not just Unity but for X11. It's js-ctypes, it uses the XWMHints: https://gist.github.com/Noitidart/b0049abbbe70b9ee7bf3
Cu.import('resource://gre/modules/ctypes.jsm');
var nixtypesInit = function() {
// BASIC TYPES (ones that arent equal to something predefined by me)
this.ATOM = ctypes.unsigned_long;
this.BOOL = ctypes.int;
this.CHAR = ctypes.char;
this.GDKDRAWABLE = ctypes.StructType('GdkDrawable');
this.GDKWINDOW = ctypes.StructType('GdkWindow');
this.DATA = ctypes.voidptr_t;
this.DISPLAY = new ctypes.StructType('Display');
this.INT = ctypes.int;
this.LONG = ctypes.long;
this.UNSIGNED_CHAR = ctypes.unsigned_char;
this.UNSIGNED_INT = ctypes.unsigned_int;
this.UNSIGNED_LONG = ctypes.unsigned_long;
this.XEVENT = ctypes.voidptr_t; //this is just for debugging
// ADVANCED TYPES (ones that are equal to something predefined by me, order matters here, as the basic or pre-advanced type needs to be defined before the type)
if (/^(Alpha|hppa|ia64|ppc64|s390|x86_64)-/.test(Services.appinfo.XPCOMABI)) { // https://github.com/foudfou/FireTray/blob/a0c0061cd680a3a92b820969b093cc4780dfb10c/src/modules/ctypes/linux/x11.jsm#L45 // // http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/configure.in
this.CARD32 = this.UNSIGNED_INT;
} else {
this.CARD32 = this.UNSIGNED_LONG;
}
this.WINDOW = this.CARD32;
this.XID = this.CARD32;
this.PIXMAP = this.CARD32;
// /usr/include/X11/Xutil.h:4867 ????
// https://github.com/kamcord/kamcord-android-samples/blob/571bf5f4f2627999169ec6ed33ddedcea591d1cd/cocos2d-x-2.2.2/external/emscripten/system/include/X11/Xutil.h#L111
// http://www.unix.com/man-page/x11r4/3/XWMHints/
this.XWMHINTS = new ctypes.StructType('XWMHints', [
{ flags: this.LONG }, // marks which fields in this structure are defined
{ input: this.BOOL }, // does this application rely on the window manager to get keyboard input?
{ initial_state: this.INT }, // see below
{ icon_pixmap: this.PIXMAP }, // pixmap to be used as icon
{ icon_window: this.WINDOW }, // window to be used as icon
{ icon_x: this.INT }, // initial position of icon
{ icon_y: this.INT }, // initial position of icon
{ icon_mask: this.PIXMAP }, // pixmap to be used as mask for icon_pixmap
{ window_group: this.XID } // id of related window group
]);
// CONSTANTS
this.ANYPROPERTYTYPE = 0; //AnyPropertyType //this.ATOM(0) // need this jsInt for comparison
this.BADGC = 13;
this.BADWINDOW = 3; //# /usr/include/X11/X.h:353
this.NONE = 0; // leave it at 0 (a jsInt) as simple comparison is done in GetAtom, cuz in GetAtom i do `if (rez == ostypes.NONE)` and if is a number here it works. otherwise its weird. ostypes.ATOM(0) and new ostypes.ATOM(0) both give back CData{ value: UInt64{} } but the XInternAtom even thouh return is ostypes.ATOM it gives back UInt64 &&& doing UInt64 == jsInt seems to work. oin ostypes.ATOM(0).value == returnedUInt64 does not work if i do this then i have to to returnedUInt64.toString() == ostypes.ATOM(0).value.toStrin() so weird
this.PROPMODEREPLACE = 0; // PropModeReplace
this.SUCCESS = 0;
this.XA_CARDINAL = 6; // can do parseInt(GetAtom('CARDINAL').toString())
}
var ostypes = new nixtypesInit();
var lib = {};
function _lib(path) {
//ensures path is in lib, if its in lib then its open, if its not then it adds it to lib and opens it. returns lib
//path is path to open library
//returns lib so can use straight away
if (!(path in lib)) {
//need to open the library
//default it opens the path, but some things are special like libc in mac is different then linux or like x11 needs to be located based on linux version
switch (path) {
case 'x11':
try {
lib[path] = ctypes.open('libX11.so.6');
} catch (e) {
try {
var libName = ctypes.libraryName('X11');
} catch (e) {
console.error('Integration Level 1: Could not get libX11 name; not activating', 'e:', e);
throw new Error('Integration Level 1: Could not get libX11 name; not activating, e:' + e);
}
try {
lib[path] = ctypes.open(libName);
} catch (e) {
console.error('Integration Level 2: Could not get libX11 name; not activating', 'e:', e);
throw new Error('Integration Level 2: Could not get libX11 name; not activating, e:' + e);
}
}
break;
default:
try {
lib[path] = ctypes.open(path);
} catch (e) {
console.error('Integration Level 1: Could not get open path:', path, 'e:', e);
throw new Error('Integration Level 1: Could not get open path:"' + path + '" e: "' + e + '"');
}
}
}
return lib[path];
}
// declares in this worker, i set them all = to null for the scratchpad because i may declare it wrong and it wont re-declare unless if it first the var is !
var dec = {};
function _dec(declaration) { // it means ensureDeclared and return declare. if its not declared it declares it. else it returns the previously declared.
if (!(declaration in dec)) {
dec[declaration] = preDec[declaration](); //if declaration is not in preDec then dev messed up
}
return dec[declaration];
}
var preDec = { //stands for pre-declare (so its just lazy stuff) //this must be pre-populated by dev // do it alphabateized by key so its ez to look through
gdk_x11_drawable_get_xid: function() {
/* https://developer.gnome.org/gdk2/stable/gdk2-X-Window-System-Interaction.html#gdk-x11-drawable-get-xid
* XID gdk_x11_drawable_get_xid (
* GdkDrawable *drawable
* );
*/
return _lib('libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0').declare('gdk_x11_drawable_get_xid', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.XID, // return
ostypes.GDKDRAWABLE.ptr // *drawable
);
},
XAllocWMHints: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XAllocWMHints.3.html
* XWMHints *XAllocWMHints
* void
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XChangeProperty', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.XWMHINTS.ptr // return
);
},
XCloseDisplay: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XCloseDisplay.3.html
* int XCloseDisplay(
* Display *display
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XCloseDisplay', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.INT, // return
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr // *display
);
},
XFlush: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XFlush.3.html
* int XFlush(
* Display *display
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XFlush', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.INT, // return
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr // *display
);
},
XFree: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XFree.3.html
* int XFree(
* void *data
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XFree', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.INT, // return
ostypes.DATA // *data
);
},
XGetWMHints: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XGetWMHints.3.html
* int XGetWMHints(
* Display *display,
* Window w,
* XWMHints *wmhints
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XGetWMHints', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.XWMHINTS.ptr, // return
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr, // *display
ostypes.WINDOW // w
);
},
XInternAtom: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XInternAtom.3.html
* Atom XInternAtom(
* Display *display,
* char *atom_name,
* Bool only_if_exists
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XInternAtom', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.ATOM, // return
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr, // *display
ostypes.CHAR.ptr, // *atom_name
ostypes.BOOL // only_if_exists
);
},
XOpenDisplay: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XOpenDisplay.3.html
* Display *XOpenDisplay(
* char *display_name
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XOpenDisplay', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr, // return
ostypes.CHAR.ptr // *display_name
);
},
XSetWMHints: function() {
/* http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/XSetWMHints.3.html
* int XSetWMHints(
* Display *display,
* Window w,
* XWMHints *wmhints
* );
*/
return _lib('x11').declare('XSetWMHints', ctypes.default_abi,
ostypes.INT, // return
ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr, // *display
ostypes.WINDOW, // w
ostypes.XWMHINTS.ptr // *wmhints
);
}
}
/* start helper functions */
function jscGetDeepest(obj) {
// used to get the deepest .contents .value and so on. expecting a number object
//console.info('start jscGetDeepest:', obj.toString());
while (isNaN(obj) && ('contents' in obj || 'value' in obj)) {
if ('contents' in obj) {
obj = obj.contents;
} else if ('value' in obj) {
obj = obj.value
} else {
throw new Error('huh, isNaN, but no contents or value in obj', 'obj:', obj);
}
//console.info('loop jscGetDeepest:', obj.toString());
}
//console.info('pre final jscGetDeepest:', obj.toString());
if (!isNaN(obj)) {
obj = obj.toString();
}
//console.info('finaled jscGetDeepest:', obj.toString());
return obj;
}
function jscEqual(obj1, obj2) {
// ctypes numbers equal
// compares obj1 and obj2
// if equal returns true, else returns false
// check if equal first
var str1 = obj1;
var str2 = obj2;
var str1 = jscGetDeepest(str1); //cuz apparently its not passing by reference
var str2 = jscGetDeepest(str2); //cuz apparently its not passing by reference
if (str1 == str2) {
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}
function OpenNewXDisplay() {
var rez_XOpenDisplay = _dec('XOpenDisplay')(null);
console.log('debug-msg :: rez_XOpenDisplay:', rez_XOpenDisplay, uneval(rez_XOpenDisplay));
// when rez_XOpenDisplay is null it is CData of `Display.ptr(ctypes.UInt64("0x0"))"`
if (rez_XOpenDisplay.isNull()) {
throw new Error('XOpenDisplay failed to open display');
}
return rez_XOpenDisplay;
}
var GetXDisplayConst = undefined; //ostypes.DISPLAY.ptr // runtime defined constants
function GetXDisplay() {
if (!GetXDisplayConst) {
GetXDisplayConst = OpenNewXDisplay(); // returns Display*
}
return GetXDisplayConst;
}
var _GetAtomCache = {};
function GetAtom(name, createIfDNE) {
// createIfDNE is jsBool, true or false. if set to true/1 then the atom is creatd if it doesnt exist. if set to false/0, then an error is thrown when atom does not exist
// default behavior is throw when atom doesnt exist
// name is ostypes.CHAR.ptr
// returns ostypes.ATOM
var onlyIfExists = 1;
if (createIfDNE) {
onlyIfExists = 0;
}
if (!(name in _GetAtomCache)) {
var atom = _dec('XInternAtom')(GetXDisplay(), name, createIfDNE ? 0 : 1); //passing 3rd arg of false, means even if atom doesnt exist it returns a created atom, this can be used with GetProperty to see if its supported etc, this is how Chromium does it
if (jscEqual(atom, ostypes.NONE)) { //will never equal ostypes.NONE if i pass 3rd arg of `false` to XInternAtom
console.warn('No atom with name:', name, 'return val of atom:', atom, uneval(atom), atom.toString());
throw new Error('No atom with name "' + name + '"), return val of atom:"' + atom + '" toString:"' + atom.toString() + '"');
}
_GetAtomCache[name] = atom;
}
return _GetAtomCache[name];
}
function xidFromXULWin(aXULWin) {
if (!aXULWin) {
throw new Error('No window found, aXULWin is null');
}
var aBaseWin = aXULWin.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
.getInterface(Ci.nsIWebNavigation)
.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIDocShellTreeItem)
.treeOwner
.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
.getInterface(Ci.nsIBaseWindow);
var aGDKWindowPtrString = aBaseWin.nativeHandle;
var aGDKWindowPtr = ostypes.GDKWINDOW.ptr(ctypes.UInt64(aGDKWindowPtrString));
var aGDKDrawablePtr = ctypes.cast(aGDKWindowPtr, ostypes.GDKDRAWABLE.ptr);
var aXID = _dec('gdk_x11_drawable_get_xid')(aGDKDrawablePtr); //no need for error checking here as if it doesnt exist it crashes?
if (jscEqual(aXID, 0)) {
throw new Error('aXULWin is no longer open, as aXID is 0');
}
console.info('aXID:', aXID, aXID.toString(), uneval(aXID));
return aXID;
}
/* end helper functions */
// my globals:
var libgdk = 'libgdk-x11-2.0.so.0';
function shutdown() {
if (GetXDisplayConst && GetXDisplayConst.isNull && !GetXDisplayConst.isNull()) {
console.log('closing disp');
var rez_XCloseDisplay = _dec('XCloseDisplay')(GetXDisplay()); //it seems like XCloseDisp returns 0 on success, docs dont clarify that, they just say that XCloseDisplay can "generate" BadGC (they dont clarify what generate means return) // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/23083523/what-does-xclosedisplay-return
console.log('debug-msg :: rez_XCloseDisplay:', rez_XCloseDisplay, uneval(rez_XCloseDisplay));
if (!jscEqual(rez_XCloseDisplay, 0)) {
throw new Error('XCloseDisplay failed with error code: "' + rez_XCloseDisplay + '"');
}
} else {
console.warn('no need to close disp');
}
for (var l in lib) {
lib[l].close();
}
}
function main() {
var arg0 = {
$display: /*DISPLAY.ptr*/ GetXDisplay(),
w: /*WINDOW*/ xidFromXULWin(Services.wm.getMostRecentWindow('navigator:browser'))
};
var hints = _dec('XGetWMHints')(GetXDisplay(), arg0.w);
console.info('hints:', hints, hints.toString(), uneval(hints));
console.info('hints.contents:', hints.contents, hints.contents.toString(), uneval(hints.contents));
if (hints.isNull()) {
console.warn('this window doesnt have any hints');
} else if (hints.contents.toString() == ostypes.BADWINDOW.toString()) { // i havent been able to get this error, so im not sure im testing for it in right way
console.warn('the window passed as argument to get hints does not exist');
} else {
// got hints
// mark urgent:
var XUrgencyHint = 256; //# /usr/include/X11/Xutil.h:4880
console.log('pre or:', jscGetDeepest(hints.contents.flags));
var newFlags = parseInt(jscGetDeepest(hints.contents.flags)) | XUrgencyHint;
console.log('post or:', newFlags);
hints.contents.flags = ostypes.LONG(newFlags);
//XSetWMHints(dpy, window, hints);
var arg1 = {
$display: /*DISPLAY.ptr*/ GetXDisplay(),
w: /*WINDOW*/ xidFromXULWin(Services.wm.getMostRecentWindow('navigator:browser')),
$wmhints: /*XWMHINTS.ptr*/ hints
};
var rez_XSet = _dec('XSetWMHints')(arg1.$display, arg1.w, arg1.$wmhints);
console.info('rez_XSet:', rez_XSet, rez_XSet.toString(), uneval(rez_XSet));
var rez_XFree = _dec('XFree')(hints);
console.info('rez_XFree:', rez_XFree, rez_XFree.toString(), uneval(rez_XFree));
}
//var rez_XFlush = _dec('XFlush')(GetXDisplay());
//console.info('rez_XFlush:', rez_XFlush, rez_XFlush.toString(), uneval(rez_XFlush));
}
try {
main();
} catch(ex) {
console.error('error:', ex);
} finally {
shutdown();
}