"A new Blackbox for Windows generation..."

Overview

bbLean is the lean version of Blackbox for Windows. It tries to keep balance between features and complexity, to give you some efficient means within a compact shell.

bbLean is based stylistically on the Blackbox window manager for the X Window System by Brad Hughes.

 

Quick Start

First:
Extract the zip-package to a folder on your computer, like c:\blackbox.
Click on blackbox.exe to start.
Right-click on the desktop background to show the main menu.
Later:
Get bsetroot-20b for background images, put it beside blackbox.exe.
Get the artwiz fontpack and install the fonts from the windows controls.
Checkout other plugins.
When things are running smooth:
You may want to set bbLean as default shell. Read -> here.
 

User Interface

The Blackbox for Windows shell consists of these GUI elements:

 

Desktop

Mouse event Effect
right-click show main menu
mid-click / right-click with shift show workspaces menu
left-click hide menus / bring pinned menus on top

These and other desktop mouse-clicks are configurable in extensions.rc.

Drop Image Display mode
no modifier centered
with shift held down stretched
with control held down tiled
 

Toolbar

Mouse event Effect
right-click show options menu
right-click on label show workspaces menu
right-click on clock show main menu
double-click on clock date & time control
ctrl + left-drag drag toolbar temporarily
ctrl + double-left-click reset position

The toolbar may be turned on or off from the configuration menu (misc.)

 

Menus

Mouse event Effect
right-click on desktop open main menu
right-click on titlebar close this menu
left-click on desktop background close menus / bring menus on top
left-click the titlebar and drag move / pin menu
double-left-click the titlebar toggle on top property
double-left-click on folder explore folder (*)
left-drag of item drag item elsewhere
right-click on file-item open context menu for file or folder
shift+right-click on folder titlebar open folder's context menu
mouse wheel / drag scroll-button scroll long menus

(*) You may setup an alternative filemanager in extensions.rc.

blackbox.options.openFolderCommand: explorer.exe /e,"%1"
Keyboard navigation Effect
up/down/left/right arrows navigate
home/end navigate
crtl+up/down page-up/down navigate faster
alt+up/down/left/right arrows move window
letters A-Z,0-9,... shortcut (underscored or first letter)
enter or space activate item
windows 'app key' show context menu
tab cycle through pinned menus
F5 update folder
insert pin menu / toggle onTop mode
escape / alt-F4 close menu
Notes:
See the included bbkeys.rc for examples, how to invoke the menu from the keyboard. The LWIN and RWIN key shortcuts work only if bbLean is installed as default shell.
To display a single & in a menu, use &&.
Hold down control for faster progress with the -number+ items.
 

bbLeanbar

Mouse event Effect
left click activate task
right click minimize task
shift + left click zoom task into current workspace
shift + right click close task
double left/middle-click move to next workspace
double left/middle-click with shift moves to previous workspace
ctrl + right-click show options menu
alt + left-click toggle task display modes *
alt + right-click toggle 'current tasks only' mode *

*To change these option permanently, select it from the menu.

 

Keyboard

Shortcut hotkeys for various actions like changing workspaces or switching windows are done with the BBKeys plugin. Edit 'bbkeys.rc' to change or add key bindings.

Default bbkeys.rc bindings:

Menu  
LWin @BBCore.ShowMenu
RWin @BBCore.ShowMenu root
Win + Ctrl + M ShowMenu
Win + Shift + M ShowWorkspaceMenu

 
Workspaces  
Win + Num1..6 Workspace1..6
Win + Left PrevWorkspace
Win + Right NextWorkspace
Win + Ctrl + Left PrevWindow
Win + Ctrl + Right NextWindow
Win + Ctrl + Up PrevWindowAllWorkspaces
Win + Ctrl + Down NextWindowAllWorkspaces
Win + Up MoveWindowLeft
Win + Down MoveWindowRight
Win + G GatherWindows

 
Windows  
Win + V MaximizeVertical
Win + H MaximizeHorizontal
Win + X MaximizeWindow
Win + Y RestoreWindow
Win + N MinimizeWindow
Win + End ShadeWindow
Win + PageUp RaiseWindow
Win + PageDown LowerWindow
Win + Insert StickWindow
Win + Delete CloseWindow

 
Blackbox  
Win + M EditMenu
Win + P EditPlugins
Win + S EditStyle
Win + Ctrl + S AboutStyle
Win + Ctrl + P TogglePlugins
Win + T ToggleTray
Win + Ctrl + R Reconfigure
Win + Alt + R Restart
Win + Q Quit

 
System  
Win + F10 Logoff
Win + F11 Reboot
Win + F12 Shutdown
Win + Ctrl + F12 Hibernate
Win + Alt + F12 Suspend
Win + Spacebar LockWorkstation
Win + R Run

 
Extern commands  
Win + E explorer.exe /e,c:\ (explorer window)
Win + Pause control.exe sysdm.cpl (system properties)
Win + D control.exe desk.cpl (display properties)
Win + Home docs\bblean.htm (bblean documentation)
 

Plugins

Some basic plugins:

Plugin Author Note
BBAnalog Mortar Nice analogue clock, with alarm.
BBCalendar Theo Calendar that let's you set events on days.
BBEdgeFlip BladeStaylor Switches workspace when mouse touches screen edge
BBIcons Tres`ni Icons to start programs, sitting on desktop or in the slit. Get docs from the pack here, but use latest version.
bbIconBox grischka Icons in the box.
BBInterface psyci Buttons, sliders, icons and more...
BBMail qwilk Checks your email accounts.
bbNote grischka Little stylized editor to edit your bb-configuration and other things.
BBPager NC-17 Controls workspaces and tasks. Use latest version.
BBSlit Tres`ni A container window, where you can put other plugins into. Use latest version.
BBSoundFx qwilk Plays sound snippets on various events.
BBTaskSwitch kana BB-stylized Alt-Tab SwitchWindow.
BBTray DevTeam Standalone systemtray, may be loaded into slit.
BBXEyes Procic Konstantin Eyes following your cursor around the screen
SystembarEx BladeStaylor Advanced taskbar and systemtray with many features. Very configurable.
multiamp qwilk Front-end for winamp, foobar2000, ...

and many others. See -> Links.