Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

WaltH · 2016-09-01 12:19:59

I'm back with another Conky question. Now that I have my rss feed text so that it wraps and no longer cuts off the ends of the headlines, I have a problem with the text from gcalcli (my Google Calendar) shifting up and down. Normally this would not be a problem except that I use images to help divide each section of my Conky (set up as Weather, System, Headlines, and Calendar). Here's a screenshot to illustrate the problem.

Obviously, the easy solution is to get rid of the icon images and let the headings float as needed, and I can do that if need be. I was wondering, though, whether there is some way to force a piece of text (in this case, a heading) to occupy a specific position, similar to how the icon images are positioned (preferably without involving another script as I know next to nothing about scripting). Here is the applicable portion of my .conkyrc file:

${image /usr/share/icons/Peppermix-7/32x32/apps/calendar.png -p 0,722}${color1}${font Cantarell:Bold:size=11}         Calendar  ${hr 2}
${color4}${font liberationmono:Bold:size=8}${execpi 600 gcalcli --conky agenda}

I've done a little looking but have not yet turned up anything. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can offer.

damo · 2016-09-01 12:33:16

Look for ${goto}, ${offset} and ${voffset}

A BL user has created a good Conky 1.10 resource on github, with extensive help pages:
https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/wi … .10-syntax

Sector11 · 2016-09-01 14:49:54

@damo - Who? Where?

Brandon Matthews is conky's creator (forker) and to the best of my knowledge isn't a member here.
Excellent link though! Thanks.

@WaltH Unfortunately the problem is two fold.

Both your "rss" and "calendar" outputs have outputs that vary in length as things get added / changed / deleted . Therefore images that have fixed positions in your conky will frequently be out of place.

Confider a 'symbol' type font...
http://www.creativebloq.com/typography/ … ts-2131972
http://www.1001fonts.com/dingbat+icons+ … fonts.html

damo · 2016-09-01 14:59:47

Sector11 wrote:

@damo - Who? Where?
Brandon Matthews is conky's creator (forker) and to the best of my knowledge isn't a member here.
Excellent link though! Thanks.

Aah, I thought he had contributed here somewhere. I must have contracted your forgetter

/Note to self.... Don't answer conky questions when S11 is around. He knows LOADS more than you!

WaltH · 2016-09-01 15:02:46

@damo - I do use the offset and voffset commands in other places, but they didn't seem to do what I need where dynamic text (changing position) is concerned.

@Sector11 - The rss output is the only real problem as the calendar output coms after the graphic/text that changes position. I'll take a look at the symbol type fonts. I did like the extra color of these icons, though.

PackRat · 2016-09-01 15:30:20

Obviously, the easy solution is to get rid of the icon images and let the headings float as needed,

So the headlines and the calendar are in one conkyrc file? If so, maybe run 2 conkies - rss and weather, put sufficient space between the two with the y offset so the rss output doesn't overlap the calendar.

Or, if it's the rss headlines pushing the calendar image down, reverse the order so the calendar is above the rss output.

Last edited by PackRat (2016-09-01 20:44:29)

Sector11 · 2016-09-01 16:51:32

@damo - forgetters are a fact of life!. Just that some work better than others
And while I may know more about conky, I've been at it for 9 years, you can out "bash script" and "out <insert graphics program here> me the blink of an eye, so we're a good mix.

@PackRat - S11 has much respect for your conkystador skills as well!

Calendar output will change as well. Not every day will have the same number of reminders.

Separate conkys, as you suggested, is perfect to keep the images in line:

1. alignment tl - Weather, System with RSS
2. alignment bl - Calendar
- or -
1. alignment tl - Weather, System with Calendar
2. alignment bl - RSS

@WaltH - if you you don't use Google calendar on 'multiple' machines you can do reminders locally with remind - available in the repos.

Description: sophisticated calendar and alarm program
Remind allows you to remind yourself of upcoming events and appointments. Each reminder or alarm can consist of a message sent to standard output, or a program to be executed.

I've been using it in conky for years and you can use conky commands if you wish to change fonts, colours, goto's whatever.
My current:

The calendar with highlighted days for 'remind' has some OOPSIES! - but not being a bash guru I'm incapable of fixing it.

The code that put that into conky:

${color6}Easter:   ${color}${pre_exec ncal -e}
${color6}Orthodox: ${color}${pre_exec ncal -o}
${color7}${membar 0}${color}
${font Monofur:bold:size=14}${color6}Reminders${color}${font}
${color7}${membar 0}${color}
${execpi 3600 /media/5/Conky/scripts/remind-cal.sh}
${color7}${membar 0}${color}
${font Monofur:bold:size=12}${color6}${time %a %d %b}${color}${font}
${execpi 86400 remind -q -r ~/.reminders | sed -e "/.*(today):/d" -e '/^$/d'}
${color7}${membar 0}${color}
${font Monofur:bold:size=12}${color6}${time %b %Y} & ${pre_exec date --date="+1 month" +"%b %Y"}${color}${font}
${execpi 86400 remind -s2 -r ~/.reminders | cut -c6-10,19-}
${color7}${membar 0}${color}

WARNING: You will need to change "pre_exec" to "execi xxx" as pre_exec does not exist in conky v1.10

PackRat · 2016-09-01 20:43:21

Calendar output will change as well. Not every day will have the same number of reminders.

that's true.

I didn't follow the earlier thread where the OP was figuring out how to wrap the rss feed - but could he also increase the minimum_width of the cony so the shorter headlines don't wrap. Maybe truncate the output? Too much tweaking for that though, so I'll stick with separate conkies for calendar and rss.

Last edited by PackRat (2016-09-01 20:43:46)

Sector11 · 2016-09-01 21:16:55

PackRat wrote:

Too much tweaking for that though, so I'll stick with separate conkies for calendar and rss.

My recommendation as well.

WaltH · 2016-09-06 15:50:26

@Sector11 and PackRat-I will have to play with trying out running multiple instances of Conky, especially as I was not able to get any of the symbol style fonts Sector11 recommended to display in Conky. (I'm sure it's because I don't really know what I'm doing and am in over my head.)

@Sector11-I do use Google Calendar on my PC, my tablet, and occasionally on my phone, so I don't know if that constitutes multiple machines as far as Remind is concerned.

Now I just have to map everything out.

Sector11 · 2016-09-06 18:12:18

Not sure how you start your conky in Peppermint but to start 2 (or more) it's as easy as a bash script:

#!/bin/bash
## if you want to kill all conkys and restart them instantly 
## uncomment the next line:
# killall conky

conky -c /path/to/conky_file_one &
conky -c /path/to/conky_file_two &

exit 0

Now if you want a way to "Click to Start / Click to Stop" conky in a "menu" environment there is this:
ssc.sh

#!/bin/sh
# click to start, click to stop
    
if pidof conky | grep [0-9] > /dev/null
then
exec killall conky
else
    
conky -c /path/to/conky_file_one &
conky -c /path/to/conky_file_two &

exit
fi

Make a menu entry to point to that or a desktop icon and turn them off and on at will - can be used to autostart conkys as well.

-----
RE: Fonts - download them and put them in ~/.fonts, open a terminal and run:

fc-cache -fv

#1 2016-09-01 12:19:59

Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#2 2016-09-01 12:33:16

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#3 2016-09-01 14:49:54

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#4 2016-09-01 14:59:47

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#5 2016-09-01 15:02:46

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#6 2016-09-01 15:30:20

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#7 2016-09-01 16:51:32

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#8 2016-09-01 20:43:21

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#9 2016-09-01 21:16:55

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#10 2016-09-06 15:50:26

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

#11 2016-09-06 18:12:18

Re: Conky 1.10 - text positioning question

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