[rhelv6-list] [Solved] weird clock applet question on locations

[Gary Gatling]

Hello,

I did a little bit more digging and think I've found a solution to my 
question. (thank you diff) I wanted to share with the list in case other 
people want to customize their GNOME panel to have the local weather for 
all users. In my earlier email last week I left out some steps.

To customize the panel for all users on a RHEL 6 system, do a fresh 
install.

Log in to your fresh install as a regular user. Customize your panel how 
you would like it for all users. For example, at my site I add back the 
OpenOffice Writer, Impress, and Calc launchers. I also add a terminal 
launcher since most users are programmers. Line up everything how 
you want it to look on the panel.

To customize the weather icon and location, next to locations click on the 
edit buton. Click on "Add" and add your city. If its a known city, it will 
automagically fill in the latitude and longitude for you. If its unknown 
I'm guessing you might need to type them in... I'm pretty sure you can add 
as many cities as you want if you need more than one.

Next Click on the "set" buttton to make whatever the default location. You 
will be prompted for the root password.

Next run this command as your regular user:

gconftool-2 --dump /apps/panel > my-panel-setup.entries

Next you need to edit this file. If there are any icons you added to the 
panel they will have names like object_0, object_1, etc. Find the lines 
that are like:

<key>objects/object_0/position</key>

and change numbers like

<int>234</int>

into

<int>4</int>

under "position" keys because you want relative positions rather than 
absolute pixel locations. (1, 2,and 3 are used already. 1 is the browser, 
2 is the email launcher, and 3 is the new GNote app)

Also, the "set" button will alter the contents of /etc/sysconfig/clock. 
For example, on my systems it changed from:

ZONE="America/New York"

to

ZONE="America/New_York"

So make a note of what that got changed to at this point.

On the machines you want to clone the panel to, run this command as root:

gconftool-2 --direct --config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --load my-panel-setup.entries

Also, make sure that the file /etc/sysconfig/clock gets changed to the 
proper value. ( like sed 's at New York at New_York@' ) Now everyone logging 
into that machine will have the custom panel with the weather and 
temperature displayed for the local location you set up. :) I'm using 
Raleigh, NC. since thats where all our labs are.

Also, here are some useful gconf strings I have found to change some 
settings back if you prefer the way the panel looked /acted in older RHEL 
/ fedoras...

/apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel/padding
/apps/panel/toplevels/bottom_panel/padding

I have set these to 2 so there isn't so much white space between the 
launchers and stuff. Useful if your users add lots of launchers and 
screen real estate it low.

/apps/metacity/general/num_workspaces

You can increase this if the 2 that are defaults in RHEL 6 aren't enough 
for the default users. It was 4 in RHEL 5.

Cheers,

Gary Gatling      | ITECS Systems

On Fri, 3 Dec 2010, Gary Gatling wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> I am trying to change the default location in the clock applet from being 
> Boston Ma. to Raleigh, NC. in RHEL 6 for our labs. I want to do this so that 
> the weather icon shows up for any lab users and so that it shows the correct 
> weather for my location in Raleigh.
>
> I installed a fresh machine and configured the panel the way I want it. I 
> deleted Boston Ma. and added Raleigh, NC. by hand as I configured the panel. 
> Then I ran:
>
> gconftool-2 --dump /apps/panel > my-panel-setup.entries
>
> and set up on a fresh install on another machine:
>
> gconftool-2 --direct --config-source 
> xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --load my-panel-setup.entries
>
> Everything is "almost" correct. My icons are all set up on the panel the way 
> I want them. But when I click on the clock applet, it shows my location in 
> Raleigh as a blinking red / white dot. When I hover over the analog clock in 
> the GUI, a "set..." button pops up. When I click on the "set..." button it 
> prompts me for the root password and then it changes the dot into a blue 
> "house" icon.
>
> After this "set..." button has been clicked on the weather icon magically 
> appears in the panel with the correct weather for my location. For "all" 
> users on the system. (not just my account)
>
> Does anyone know how I can programattically do that with a command? 
> /etc/localtime seems to be the same on both machines. I've looked at the 
> sources to the gnome-panel rpm but its a lot of code and I can't seem to 
> figure this one out on my own. :(
>
> Thanks for any ideas anyone has? Do you think it will be possible to do what 
> I am trying to do? (change clock applet to show weather in Raleigh, NC.)
>
> Gary Gatling      | ITECS Systems
>
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