How to globally change menu/toolbars

[Jim Kronebusch]

Well I have been hacking away on this for a few days now, which I am sure isn't helping
much.  Anyhow here is the contents of my /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gconf>
        <dir name="apps">
                <dir name="panel">
                        <dir name="default_setup">
                                <dir name="applets">
                                        <dir name="notification_area">
                                        </dir>
                                </dir>
                        </dir>
                        <dir name="global">
                        </dir>
                </dir>
                <dir name="gconf-editor">
                </dir>
        </dir>
        <dir name="desktop">
                <dir name="gnome">
                        <dir name="peripherals">
                                <dir name="keyboard">
                                        <dir name="kbd">
                                        </dir>
                                </dir>
                        </dir>
                </dir>
        </dir>
</gconf>

This seems a little sparse compared to what you found, and I think the only reason it
has anything is from me messing with the gconf-editor defaults.  I had found similar
files in /usr/share/gconf/defaults/05_panel-default-setup.entries and in
/usr/share/gconf/schemas/panel-default-setup.entries.  I had tried removing similar
entries in those files and adding a new user, no effect.  Pessulus seems to open up the
"Lockdown Editor" which has minimal options, most of which are to simply enable/disable
editing of menus and settings.  I have also tried gconf-editor, this seems to allow me
to make many changes and set as mandatory or default, but it does not allow me to remove
anything.

So I am still lost as to what to do.  At least I feel better that my dirty hacks on the
/usr/share/gconf files wasn't too far off of what I should be able to do.

Any other ideas? /var/lib/gconf/debian.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml seems to have similar
settings as well.


On Thu, 5 Jul 2007 16:51:46 +0100, Gavin McCullagh wrote
> Hi Jim,
> 
> this is probably a dirty hack answer but it may be of some use in context
> with other information.
> 
> On Thu, 05 Jul 2007, Jim Kronebusch wrote:
> 
> > I am running edubuntu 7.04 and want to globally change the menus and
> > toolbars for all existing users and new users.  How do I do this?
> 
> I haven't used it, but my understanding is that Pessulus is the thing to
> use for modifying the desktop profiles.  My understanding is that Pessulus
> (which presumably must run as root) modifies the gconf settings which I'll
> mention below.
> 
> > I want to remove the icon at the top for Evolution since I don't want my
> > students using evolution.
> 
> The reason the icon is there in the first place (or such is my
> understanding) is that if you look in the file:
> 
> /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml
> 
> You'll see a section like this:
> 
>         <dir name="apps">
>                 <dir name="panel">
> 			...	...
> 			...	...
>                                 <dir name="objects">
>                                         <dir name="yelp_launcher">
>                                         </dir>
>                                         <dir name="session_dialog">
>                                         </dir>
>                                         <dir name="email_launcher">
>                                         </dir>
>                                         <dir name="browser_launcher">
>                                         </dir>
>                                         <dir name="menu_bar">
>                                         </dir>
>                                 </dir>
> 
> which means that new users will get icons (objects) for yelp, a mail client
> a browser, etc. on their panel.
> 
> I guess if you remove the "email_launcher" section, that should get rid of
> the evolution icon.  I'm not certain if this would be for existing users or
> new users, it appears it should disappear for both but I could be wrong.
> 
> I'm pretty sure this is what pessulus should be doing anyway, but try this
> and let us know if it works.
> 
> > If I apt-get remove evolution then the program is gone, but a stupid icon
> > still remains.  Also when I remove evolution the icon under the
> > Applications/Office is still there.  How to I go about changing these
> > things for all users?
> 
> The icon on the panel is a generic "email launcher" which by default runs
> evolution (this is part of the desktop design).  If you have remove all
> email clients (ie evolution), that doesn't mean the icon goes away.  I'm
> unsure about the Office section -- perhaps it's a similar generic email
> launcher.
> 
> Gavin
> 
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Jim Kronebusch
Cotter Tech Department
453-5188


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