The Bodhi Guide to Enlightenment
Gadgets
This article explains what Enlightenment (E17) Gadgets are, describes some useful Gadgets, shows how to add new Gadgets from E17's repertoiry, and briefly notes how Gadgets relate to Modules (which are the subject of a separate section of this guide).
What are Gadgets?
In E17, a Gadget is just about anything you see on the desktop. Gadgets are what other operating systems call "Applets" or "Widgets". Small programs that do one thing and do it well. Some provide specific information about your PC or your environment. Several Gadgets are probably already on your default Bodhi Linux desktop, depending on which Profile you selected when you installed Bodhi Linux.
Note that most Gadgets can be placed either directly on the desktop or onto a Shelf. There are a few Gadgets (like Systray) that can only be placed on a Shelf.
Examples of Gadgets
| Calendar (A graphic calendar) |
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| Clock (An analogue clock) |
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| Forecasts (A graphic display of the weather in a given region) |
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Pager (A Virtual desktop switcher) |
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Gadgets Displayed by Default per Profile
Depending on which Profile you chose, a certain number of Gadgets were added by default:
Bare | Compositing | Desktop | Fancy | Laptop | Tablet** | Tiling |
| Places | Start | Start | Calendar | Cpufreq | Bodhi Close | Places |
| Clock | IBar | Ibar | Places | Places | IBox | Mixer |
| Settings | IBox | Clock | Taskbar | Taskbar | IBar | Pager |
| Everything Starter | Clock | Pager | Mixer | Mixer | Places | Clock |
| Shot* | Pager | Mixer | Pager | Pager | Mixer | IBar |
| Mixer | Taskbar | Clock | Battery | Cpufreq | Start | |
| Places | Places | IBar | Clock | Battery | Settings | |
| Scale Windows | Settings | Settings | Start | Illume-Home-Toggle | Everything Starter | |
| Scale all Windows | Everything Starter | Everything Starter | Settings | Illume-Keyboard-Toggle | Shot* | |
| Scale Pager | Shot* | Shot* | Everything Starter | Illume-Mode-Toggle | ||
| Settings | Shot* | Clock | ||||
| Everything Starter | Settings | |||||
| Shot* | Start | |||||
| Everything Starter | ||||||
| Shot* |
**The Tablet Profile does not have the Gadget Module loaded by default.
Adding New Gadgets
In order to add Gadgets to the desktop, go to Main Menu -> Settings -> Gadgets and the Gadgets Manager will open. Select a Gadget in the list, and press Add Gadget. The Gadget appears at the top left of the desktop with a blue crosshatching, indicating it can be moved and resized to your requirements. When the Gadget is in the proper place, right-click the Gadget to lock it.
Gadget Settings
Once they are placed on the desktop or on a Shelf, each Gadget can be right-clicked to configure its appearance and its behavior. For example, when you first install the Forecasts Gadget, it gives you the weather for Sofia, Bulgaria. Probably not what you want, unless, of course, you live there. So right-click it, open the menu Gadget Forecasts -> Forecasts Settings. In the dialog box that appears, you will see instructions for finding and entering the code for your city.
Add a Gadget to a Shelf
Adding a Gadget to a Shelf requires a slightly different procedure. See the Shelves Section of this Guide for details.
Gadgets Need Their Modules
What Gadgets you have available to add is determined by what Modules you have Loaded. Loading a Module reads it from disk storage and places it in RAM, but it won't be displayed on screen until you add it as a Gadget to the desktop or a Shelf. To Load/Unload Modules go to Main Menu -> Settings -> Modules. See the Modules Section of this Guide for more details.
Still more Gadgets
To keep the initial download and installation of Bodhi Linux as compact as possible, some excellent Modules were not included, but can be downloaded and installed via the Synaptic Package Manager just like other Linux programs.
For a full list of available Gadgets check the Module Reference.
See the Modules Section of this Guide for more details.
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