Chapter 18.  Building Custom Linux Desktops with the ThinLinc Desktop Customizer

Table of Contents

18.1. Introduction
18.2. Using the ThinLinc Desktop Customizer
18.2.1. Concepts
18.2.2. Using the ThinLinc Desktop Customizer
18.2.3. Handling Applications
18.2.4. Defining a Menu Structure
18.2.5. Defining Application Groups
18.2.6. Distribute Configuration to all agent hosts
18.3. Enabling the Custom Desktops for users
18.4. Tips & Tricks with TLDC
18.4.1. Unwanted Icons on the Desktop with KDE
18.4.2. File Associations for Applications Not In the Menu
18.4.3. Home Icon not Working in KDE?

In this chapter, we will document how to create custom desktops for ThinLinc users using either the K Desktop Environment or the Gnome Desktop Environment, in combination with the ThinLinc Desktop Customizer (TLDC).

The TLDC:s core functionality is to build the menu of ThinLinc users based on factors such as group membership, user name and ThinLinc profile. It can also add icons to the desktop of each user, based on the same premises.

18.1.  Introduction

The ThinLinc Desktop Customizer is a combination of a web-based administration tool and a command that is run at session startup for all users. It enables the administrator to decide what menu entries should be presented for specific users, and what icons should be made available on the desktop. Which menu entries and/or desktop entries are given to a specific user is decided based on the Unix group memberships of the user, the username and what ThinLinc profile was choosen (if any).

Note

Since KDE4 uses a different desktop configuration mechanism to previous versions of KDE, icons added to the desktop using the ThinLinc Desktop Customizer will not be shown in KDE4. This can be solved by changing the "Desktop layout" setting of your KDE4 desktop to "Folder view".