I need an easier way to launch x11 applications.

[Kalixa]

I have installed all my x11 applications from macports. Can someone please tell me of an easier way to launch my x11 applications. I can't launch them from quicksilver, I can't place them in my dock, and I don't know how to add them to the x11 applications menu. So each time I want to launch an application I have to go to:

/opt/local/bin and then find the application (which by the way doesn't have any specific icon either.

So launching these applications is for me a very tedious thing to do. So can it be simplified in some way?

Thank you.

 

[Cromulent]

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Put the terminal application in your dock and then just launch them via the command line. Terminal should be in /Applications/Utilities.

 

[Cromulent]

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Put the terminal application in your dock and then just launch them via the command line. Terminal should be in /Applications/Utilities.

 

[mkrishnan]

How about...

- Make a script file that launches it from the command line and then place the script file in the dock (even with a custom icon if you desire)?

- Here's information about how to change the applications menu -- if it's not working, try providing the application with full path.

- Try an applescript launcher like this one: XDroplets

 

[WirelessInn]

I need an easier way to launch x11 applications.

Wirelessly posted (SonyEricssonK800i/R1EJ Browser/NetFront/3.3 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

Put the terminal application in your dock and then just launch them via the command line. Terminal should be in /Applications/Utilities.

Greetings,
Still new (but ramping up) to Mac world.
i have been looking for a decent - CorelDraw for Win-like - vector drawing app - Not easy in the Mac environment unless one is ready to shell out outrageous clams for the Adobe stuff!!
In fact, I have corresponded with cromulent and mkrishnan before (thanks for all the help!), elsewhere in these Forums, about other topics. The Mac environment CAN be either cryptic or downright not so friendly (apart from my having to ramp up from a couple of decades of Windows stuff - I do understand that part of it!)

I was thinking about the old AppleWorks app - can Apple spend a little $$ from its iTunes ample revenues to overhaul such a nice prog???

Anyway, I want now to try INKSCAPE which seems to be indeed a Vector draw prog. That's about the only free try I spotted I am not especially lookng for free stuff, but certianly for reasonably priced apps!). CANVAS seems to be nice, but then again, I want to actually see that I am going to do with the Mac that my Windows machines do not do adequately, before sinking more $$ into the machine. After all, I bought the MBP for Mac's vaunted a/v capabilities! I like iLife and iWork, but I am surprized that Apple does not feature an up to date good drawing/illustrating prog!

I have dwnlded Inkscape, and upon firing it up, I get an x11 message, as illustrated on the attached scrn prt. Before proceeding with additional downloads and installations to make this thing work, I want to know if it is worth it, from a procedural standpoint. For G's sake, seems that I might have to start such an app from the Command line (shades of MS Dos here???)

Input, advice will be appreciated!

- Roger T

 

[mkrishnan]

I have dwnlded Inkscape, and upon firing it up, I get an x11 message, as illustrated on the attached scrn prt. Before proceeding with additional downloads and installations to make this thing work, I want to know if it is worth it, from a procedural standpoint. For G's sake, seems that I might have to start such an app from the Command line (shades of MS Dos here???)

Applications like GIMP and Inkscape that come as "Application" icons that you drag to the Applications folder do not need to be started from the command line, no. Once you install X11, you'll double click this app like any other, or click on it in the dock, and it will automatically launch X.

To install X, just put in the Tiger / system DVD, open it in Finder, scroll down to the bottom, and you will find an optional installs package. Run that, and when you get to the part where you pick what you want, pick X11... Don't run the one that installs developers tools (it has an option for an X11 SDK, and many people accidentally install that... it's okay to install it, but it's for developing X11 apps, not *running* them).

 

[WirelessInn]

I need an easier way to launch x11 applications.

Applications like GIMP and Inkscape that come as "Application" icons that you drag to the Applications folder do not need to be started from the command line, no. Once you install X11, you'll double click this app like any other, or click on it in the dock, and it will automatically launch X.

To install X, just put in the Tiger / system DVD, open it in Finder, scroll down to the bottom, and you will find an optional installs package. Run that, and when you get to the part where you pick what you want, pick X11... Don't run the one that installs developers tools (it has an option for an X11 SDK, and many people accidentally install that... it's okay to install it, but it's for developing X11 apps, not *running* them).

Thanks a lot, mkrishnan. You and a few others are invaluable and knowledgeable help around here. I do appreciate a lot, since it does seem that in the Mac world, one must do some research to find apps suitable to one's purpose...

i am also planning to try out GIMP, but there is the invite business to go thru, I understand! I am logged in with the GIMP people to get on the tryout invite roster! Oh, well!

The x11 app seems to have to do with XWindows - I recall seeing/hearing from this way back, at the University's comp lab.

Does this install occupy lots of room, and/or incur any overall performance in penalty. I am customarily cautious re: downloading free stuff: I prefer to actually do so only when I have researched the item and feel pretty confident i'll be able to use it productively. Free stuff is OK, but must still be useful (just like paid stuff).

Thanks again: I have the feeling that I'll still come across you in these forums!

- rt

 

[mkrishnan]

i am also planning to try out GIMP, but there is the invite business to go thru, I understand! I am logged in with the GIMP people to get on the tryout invite roster! Oh, well!

Are you talking about MacGIMP, or what are you talking about? The version of GIMP that runs in X11 in the same manner as Inkscape does not require an invite. Here's a link for Gimp.app. Same deal, you have to install X11. There's another variant called Gimpshop that is designed to be easier to use for Photoshop aficionados. But neither require any sort of invitation.

The x11 app seems to have to do with XWindows - I recall seeing/hearing from this way back, at the University's comp lab.

X11 *is* the XWindows manager, yes. OS X comes from a Unix heritage, but it uses a different windows manager (aqua). However, you're allowed to run X, and when you do, X11 apps can run inside the X environment. The open source developers for Gimp and Inkscape chose this route because it was easier to port Xwindows apps from Linux to OSX this way.

Does this install occupy lots of room, and/or incur any overall performance in penalty. I am customarily cautious re: downloading free stuff: I prefer to actually do so only when I have researched the item and feel pretty confident i'll be able to use it productively. Free stuff is OK, but must still be useful (just like paid stuff).

No, it's fairly small. No penalty when it's not running, pretty minor when it is. I'd go ahead and give it a try.

 

[shwc]

drawing apps

i have been looking for a decent - CorelDraw for Win-like - vector drawing app - Not easy in the Mac environment unless one is ready to shell out outrageous clams for the Adobe stuff!!

Try LineForm (http://www.freeverse.com/apps/app/?id=6020).
You can import pdf and svg files. You may have to "parse" the file upon pasting or importing artwork before you can select the individual components. The parse command is under the "objects" menu.

You can also try omnigraffle, although it is more of a diagram generation application.
http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/pro/

 

[shwc]

I have installed all my x11 applications from macports. Can someone please tell me of an easier way to launch my x11 applications. I can't launch them from quicksilver, I can't place them in my dock, and I don't know how to add them to the x11 applications menu. So each time I want to launch an application I have to go to:

/opt/local/bin and then find the application (which by the way doesn't have any specific icon either.

So launching these applications is for me a very tedious thing to do. So can it be simplified in some way?

Thank you.

Once you have apples X11 application installed and your binaries compiled to use apples X11...double click on one of your binaries. A dialog will come up asking what application to open the file with, select x11 (located in the utilities folder).

From now on when you double click a X11 binary, it will launch X11 and then launch the program. Easy.

You can make an alias to the binary and place the alias in your applications folder. You can also put the binary in the Dock or launch using Quicksilver. I have not tested launching from quicksilver, however.

 

[WirelessInn]

Try LineForm (http://www.freeverse.com/apps/app/?id=6020).
You can import pdf and svg files. You may have to "parse" the file upon pasting or importing artwork before you can select the individual components. The parse command is under the "objects" menu.

You can also try omnigraffle, although it is more of a diagram generation application.
http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/pro/

THANKS fr the tips, shwc. I can't believe that in my seeking info all over the net(well, almost apparently!), I did NOT at all come up with LineForm. Looks very promising as well reviewed indeed. I am working with it right now!

Well, that's the thing about Mac world: gotta keep looking for hidden apps all over the place!

- Roger T

 

[WirelessInn]

I need an easier way to launch x11 applications.

Are you talking about MacGIMP, or what are you talking about? The version of GIMP that runs in X11 in the same manner as Inkscape does not require an invite.

X11 *is* the XWindows manager, yes. OS X comes from a Unix heritage, but it uses a different windows manager (aqua). However, you're allowed to run X, and when you do, X11 apps can run inside the X environment. The open source developers for Gimp and Inkscape chose this route because it was easier to port Xwindows apps from Linux to OSX this way.
No, it's fairly small. No penalty when it's not running, pretty minor when it is. I'd go ahead and give it a try.

Thanks, mkrishnan - and SORRY about my mistake about invites and GIMP. Actually, i was thinking about SKITCH, which does feature an invite scheme to try out its beta! Good info about x11!

- Roger T

 

[mkrishnan]

Thanks, mkrishnan - and SORRY about my mistake about invites and GIMP. Actually, i was thinking about SKITCH, which does feature an invite scheme to try out its beta! Good info about x11!

No prob... did you want a Skitch invite? I got some more recently; PM me an e-mail address.

 

[cube]

It's not "XWindows". It's the X Window System, abbreviated as X Window, X, or also called by the name of its current protocol, X11.