Recouping lost desktop protocols SOLVED! Thanx.

[dougmack]

Have just upgraded to KDE 4.8.3, and with the kind assistance of some folks here on the forum, all went according to plan. However, the plan leaves me with a couple of questions, that I have been advised to present here--"Ask something in software about the other 2 questions,  this one is more or less solved
sounds like." Here are the questions:

1.Some of what used to be widgets are now icons, and are links to something.  Is it possible to turn these icons back into widgets?  If so, how?
There are two reasons I ask this.  First, it is not possible to put icons very near the edge of the desktop, and for some it is desirable that they be
right at the edge so they can be accessed while windows are active on screen. (I think particularly of Kate.)  Secondly, icons are not as permanently
fixed as one would like, even when supposedly locked.  Under certain conditions, they will all move from where they have been put up into the top
left corner of the screen, on top of what you  want there. It is a real PITA to put them back.
If there is a general procedure for turning icons into widgets, I'd like to know.  I did already Google.

2. Is there a way to change the background color of the panel to a light blue, like it used to be, instead of almost black, and if so, how.  This is
just a matter of esthetics, but it would be nice.

All assistance gratefully acknowledged--doug

[stealth]

You might try looking in CC Workspace Appearance and Behavior that section might solve both your questions. It should solve the 2nd one for sure.

[dougmack]

I didn't see anything about converting icons to widgets, and I if it's there, I might not recognize it.  I guess I'm completely out of the loop.  I have no idea what "air for laptops" and all that stuff means.  I don't need a "theme" for the panel, I need a COLOR.  Maybe this new-age is just beyond me--I'll be 75 in about 6 weeks.  Anybody got a DOS 3.1 disk?

Sorry.  I just don't get it.  --doug

[stealth]

I will be 56 in about 6 weeks. What day is your birthday?

[dougmack]

October 13th.  Happy Birthday, Stealth!

[stealth]

Happy birthday dougmack! My birthday is in exactly 5 weeks and yours is 3 weeks later. But hey close enough! LOL!

[menotu]

You may be able to change the panel by going to

Configure Your Desktop > Workspace Appearance & Behaviour  > Workspace Appearance > Desktop Theme

and select the Details tab which lets you tweak parts of the theme including the panel

I'm a tad unsure which widgets (icons) you want to change - can you post the name of them.

Is your desktop layout set to Folder View or  Desktop ?

[dougmack]

I don't know if my desktop is set to folder view or desktop.  It is set to look very much like Windows 7, with icons (widgets) inhabiting the area, and the
"panel" at the bottom, where it ought to be. As far as the path you have suggested, I was there already, which prompted my previous disgust at
the choices presented.  To wit:

There is a line called "Color Scheme" It produces "Glassified color scheme"
"Air for Netbooks color scheme" Some other "Air..." things,
"Oxygen color scheme" and "File" which leads to .png files
(pictures) on my filesystem.

Then there is a line called "Panel Background." One would think,
"At last," but this is not to be.  It produces "Glassified Panel Background,"
and another list of mysterious stuff just like the former.

Haven't these devs ever heard of plain English?  And what about
actual color?

In addition to everything else, two of my Wine programs--AppCAD (from Agilent), and Pinball (from Microsoft)--don't work anymore. Also, programs seem
to take a little longer to load, and mouse-click recognition is flaky. I sure wish I had not upgraded.  If I could go back to what I had, I most certainly would.

Thanx for your interest.  --doug

[stealth]

Doug,

I'm going to look at the details tab and see if I can find a fix for you. I will report back what I find.

[Just17]

I don't know if my desktop is set to folder view or desktop.

Right click on an empty part of the desktop .....  and near the bottom of the list will be either Desktop Settings or Folder View Settings ......  clicking on that entry brings you to the settings for the desktop.

Try different settings to discover which suits you best.

[stealth]

Doug,

I'm going to look at the details tab and see if I can find a fix for you. I will report back what I find.

I could not find an easy way to change the color. It can be changed it just isn't easy.

You also could download more themes while in that section where you select the available themes. more themes might do it for you.

Just18's suggestion is a good one.

[dougmack]

Reply to Just18:  Another post, answered here on the forum told me what you were trying to tell me.  When I changed the Destop view to Desktop, I got my widgets back.  As I mentioned
in reply to that post, it would seem that the default has changed from desktop to folder, and I think that's a mistake, but now that I kn0ow how to fix it, all is well.  Somewhere else i found out
how to change the panel from black.  I have another panel question, but I will open a new Q for that.

Thanx, J18!  I wasn't understanding what you were getting at, but all is clear now.  --doug

[Just17]

Reply to Just18:  Another post, answered here on the forum told me what you were trying to tell me.  When I changed the Destop view to Desktop, I got my widgets back.  As I mentioned
in reply to that post, it would seem that the default has changed from desktop to folder, and I think that's a mistake, but now that I kn0ow how to fix it, all is well.  Somewhere else i found out
how to change the panel from black.  I have another panel question, but I will open a new Q for that.

Thanx, J18!  I wasn't understanding what you were getting at, but all is clear now.  --doug

NP 

There are other desktop layouts also ......  like Search & Launch ....  which might suit you