Here's what I do to add an always on top option to any desklets:

1) Take the following line of code from test.py in ..adesklets-0.6.1/test/:

adesklets.window_reset(adesklets.WINDOW_MANAGED)

Add it to the desklet you want to run always on top. For example, in modubar.py this is inserted right before "adesklets.window_show()" Here is the block of code in question:

# Finish setting things up, then display the window
#
adesklets.context_set_blend(False)
adesklets.window_set_transparency(True)
adesklets.menu_add_separator()
adesklets.menu_add_item('Configure')
self._display_icons()
if self.config['modules_on']:
self._display_modules()
# ADD WINDOW_MANAGED OPTION BELOW:
adesklets.window_reset(adesklets.WINDOW_MANAGED)
adesklets.window_show()


2) Use the devilspie utility (http://www.burtonini.com/blog/computers/devilspie) to set the always on top option and to remove the managed window decorations. Devilspie looks for window matching scripts in ~/.devilspie. My script for adesklets is called "adesklets.ds" and contains the following:

(if (is (application_name) "adesklets") (begin (above) (pin) (undecorate)))

"Above" makes the window run always on top, "pin" makes it appear on all workspaces and "undecorate" removes window decorations. Start devilspie before you start adesklets.

That's all there is to it. Devilspie will see to it that each desklets to which you have added "adesklets.window_reset(adesklets.WINDOW_MANAGED)" will run always on top. (Of course an always on top window can be covered over by another window which also has the "always on top" attribute set.)

By the way, if you want to hide a running desklet - whether or not it is set to run always on top - check out kdocker. (http://kdocker.sourceforge.net/) Kdocker lets you dock/hide adesklets into the system tray.

dan

Thanks syfou.

Yes you have to place the window by hand or use the devilspie "geometry" command to move the window. (I think the wmctrl utility would probably also work to place the window.)

The pseudo-transparency doesn't look weird with some desklets, especially those that are rectangular in shape - if you size the window properly. For example, modubar looks ok, especially if the icon maximum height is set low enough so that the focused icons don't exceed the height of the bar itself. In this way no pseudo-transparent space is reserved outside the icon bar. I also set the captions to run below the bar, and then make the window small enough so that the captions don't show. (Even though the caption fade-in is cool, I need a bar that is always available more than I need the captions.)

Using "always on top" in this way requires some trade-offs, but so does keeping desklets at the bottom of the window stack, without window manager controls available to bring them to the top!

dan