"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 - the background of the screen
- Toolbar - the undispensible representative of all members of the blackbox family
- Menus - configurables, fixed ones and folder listings.
- Many others, available as plugins.
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.