Transparent Console

TRANSPARENT CONSOLE

Here is a nice tweak to suit any desktop theme you have: a fully transparent, borderless, scrollbarless terminal/console !!

Okay this is what you need: "Eterm" . . . for you Mandrakers install it with:

CODE

# urpmi Eterm

( other distros use your software installer )

After the install press Alt+F2 . . . . . you will get the "run-command" dialog . . paste the following command in the box:

CODE

Eterm --trans -x --shade=15 --scrollbar=0 --buttonbar=0 --geometry=80x52+30+30

or if you want it 100% transparent:

CODE

Eterm --trans -x --shade=0 --scrollbar=0 --buttonbar=0 --geometry=80x52+30+30 --foreground-color=green

You can tweak the size with the --geometry= numbers . . or add more shade by making shade=30 . . . ( the -x is for borderless, the foreground-color is the color of the text )

To close the console press Alt+F4 or Ctrl+D or just type "exit"

The second part of the tweak: Here is how to incorporate the new command into your menu:

Make a script:

CODE

# vi /usr/bin/eterm-tweak

These are the 3 lines text inside the script: ( In scripts you do need the # signs !! )

QUOTE (Text @ Script)

#!/bin/bash
Eterm --trans -x --shade=15 --scrollbar=0 --buttonbar=0 --geometry=80x52+30+30
#End Script

Then make it executable:

CODE

# chmod 775 /usr/bin/eterm-tweak

Test the script:

CODE

$ eterm-tweak

If it all works like you expected: change the command for eterm in your menu-editor to "eterm-tweak"

Bruno

PS: For Slackware ( 10/Current ) you need these packages:

eterm-0.9.2-i486-1jim.tgz
libast-0.5-i486-1jim.tgz
imlib2-1.1.0-i486-1jim.tgz

You can get them at: http://www.linuxpackages.net/ . . and install them with installpkg . . after that it works like a dream !

-- Jul 9 2004 ( Revised Dec 10 2005 ) --