MX-17 Quick Setup Guide
(Post-install customisation and tweaks)
The MX User Manual from https://mxlinux.org/ does an excellent job in providing detailed, current instructions about installing and using MX.
HTML and PDF manuals are also available.
The MX User Manual manual is also easily accessible via Favorites-MX User Manual or All-MX User Manual in the Whisker Menu of an installed or live system.
Typing MX User Manual in the Whisker Menu search bar is an alternative method of locating the manual, or any other application.
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| Whisker Menu Search bar |
The MX Videos page offers many videos, ranging from installation to advanced use and features and are highly recommended viewing.
Creating and running Live USB MX systems and installations are particularly recommended topics that highlight the versatile nature of MX Linux.
Installing MX will require you to enter a user and root passwords. User passwords are generally only required when logging in to a session(Auto login is available), while root passwords are typically required to make system changes and access Synaptic, Package Manager, Disk Manager and similar applications.
Boot Repair
Another reason to use Boot Repair is if you add another operating system. Boot Repair will find it and add to the menu.
MX-17 Final (64-bit) is currently my primary system so I installed Grub to the Master Boot Record (MBR) towards the end of the installation process. MX-17 is where I modify Grub, if needed. For my other partitions, Grub was installed to Root of the respective partitions, by convention. Newer systems may require alternative strategies so check the MX User Manual if necessary.
After running Boot Repair (booting from a live medium if necessary eg. you can't boot from HDD) you might want to move on to Grub Customizer, to tidy things up a bit.
Running the simple command update-grub in a Terminal, as root (ie su..enter root password) is the command line method, that does a similar thing.
After installing Linux Mint, which replaced my custom MX-17 Grub menu, I wanted to restore my original. By booting to MX-17 and running update-grub I can see my custom background images and other system partitions (MX-15, antiX-16 and Mint) are present.
Passwords
If
you are using an MX Live session via DVD, USB, Virtual Box (or
similar), the passwords required are demo for root and user for user.
If you have more than one operating system and bootable partition, Grub
is responsible for offering menu options, by default. If you have
difficulties booting a particular operating system, Boot Repair is the
simplest way to rebuild the Grub menu.
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| Boot Repair output |
MX Boot Options
MX Boot Options offers a convenient and streamlined way to modify Grub settings, with the added option of limiting the scrolling boot log text that scrolls past, prior to MX loading.
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| MX Boot Options dialogue |
Grub Customizer
Grub Customizer provides a convenient GUI (Graphical User Interface). Both boot menu background and entry font face/colour, contents and defaults can be modified to suit.
Grub Customizer provides a convenient GUI (Graphical User Interface). Both boot menu background and entry font face/colour, contents and defaults can be modified to suit.
This is the conventional way to customise the Grub menu. The List configuration tab allows you to edit menu names or remove any unwanted entries.
Set your own Grub menu background image as shown below (I've used my desktop wallpaper in this case for simplicity):
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| Grub Customizer dialogue |
Note: you may need to reload the Appearance Settings Tab if your choices are not displayed.
Simply save and reboot to see your new Grub menu.
Autologin can easily be set via User Manager.
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| User Manager Options tab |
Disk Manager
I have a few partitions on my HDD, some of which are shared between operating systems. Disk Manager is checked 'Enable' on those partitions such as Data, Vault and Recovery, which I want MX to mount automatically when starting the system. My Data partition contains wallpapers, for instance, that my desktop uses without the need for the user to enter a password to permit access (mounting with user privileges).
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| Disk Manager Dialogue |
MX Tools
MX Tools provides easy access to common system tasks, Boot Repair being one of these.
After a new installation, I run Codec Installer. Codec Installer is a quick and efficient way to extend multimedia file support in a variety of a applications. Installation is recommended.
Other useful launchers include User Manager and Conky. MX Conky is a custom MX application for adjusting and changing Conky themes, without needing to resort to Conky Manager, the conventional method.
MX Conky provides additional options not found in Conky Manager; options to change font Colour and Calendar/Time formats.
MX Tools are easily accessed for codec installation, Panel orientation (Tweak), along with the usual bundle of tools for NVIDIA drivers, wi-fi configuration (Network Assistant), Boot Repair and other features that continue to make installation and hardware setup easy.
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| MX Tools dialogue |
Personalising the desktop environment
Conky
Most obvious of the changes from MX-16 to MX-17 is a default Conky theme
Most obvious of the changes from MX-16 to MX-17 is a default Conky theme
MX-17 also includes MX Conky Tweak and Toggle, allowing quick editing of font face and Conky placement or turning on and off Conky itself.
Conky Toggle (in Whisker Menu) is the simplest way to activate or turn off Conky.
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| Conky Toggle |
MX Tweak
If
you have a regular MX-17 xfce install, there are a few desktop changes
and tweaks in application behaviour or appearance you might want to
modify, the Panel orientation being an obvious one. |
| MX Tweak dialogue |
Panel orientation
The
Panel orientation (e. vertical or horizontal), single or double-mouse
click desktop, and, Thunar (File Manager) activation behaviour.MX-17 default vertical xfce Panel, Whisker Menu and desktop.
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| MX Tweak Other tab |
Thunar
Single or double-mouse click desktop, and, Thunar (File Manager) activation behaviour via the Other tab.
The Other tab also allows users to set single or double cluck actions for Thunar (default file manager) and desktop icons. The Notification Area frame can also be hidden from here.
The Compositor tab offers a choice of xfmw (default) or Compton.
Windows Manager Tweaks
Enabling compositing in Windows Manager Tweaks will allow for a variety of desktop effects, including custom Panel backgrounds.
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| Windows Manager Tweaks |
Workspace Switcher
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| Workspace Switcher dialogue |
For a horizontal Panel arrangement, setting the workspace Switcher from 1 to 2 rows offers a more compact arrangement.
Whisker Menu
Whisker Menu-Properties brings up the required settings to make changes.
The
default menu shows Applications the Categories. I hide application descriptions, for a compact arrangement.
The Whisker Menu icon can also be changed as shown below.
I have also set modest background transparency to the Whisker Menu.
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| Whisker Menu dialogue |
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| Whisker Menu Behavior tab dialogue |
Windows Buttons options
Windows Buttons order (None, allow drag-and-drop selected) with button transparency enabled (show flat buttons checked). |
| Windows Buttons properties dialogue |
Settings Manager
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| Settings manager dialogue |
Adding Panel launcher icons
Adding
an application launcher to the Panel is quite simple via the Whisker
Menu and the context menu (eg. right-click on an application to see options for adding to Favorites, Panel, Desktop etc.).
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| Adding Settings Manager to the Panel (or Favorites or Desktop) |
Moving an icon is likewise simple. Just right-click the icon and select -->Move and then position as required.
(newly created Panel icons
default to the far right on a Horizontal Panel).
Panel background and colour
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| Panel dialogue. Appearance tab |
Substituting Clock for Orage Clock will complete the effect if preferred, since it allows a clear background (right-click Panel...+Add New Items...).
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| Panel with transparent background image, Notification area frame hidden and Clock substituted for default Orage Clock |
Clock
I like to replace Orage Clock with the regular Clock (Panel +Add New Item) when using a clear Panel background, to complete the effect. The default Orage Clock does not currently provide for a transparent background.
Assuming you have the correct time zone settings for your location, you may wish to display AM/PM or am/pm indicators. This involves (somewhat counter-intuitively) %p or %P respectively, to the bottom field under the Clock Options heading in properties.
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| Clock properties dialogue |
Notification Area
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| Notification Area dialogue |
Transparent Panel separators and HandlesOne thing obvious on a transparent Panel are the Handles on each side of
workspace Switcher. Via the mouse context menu (right click default),
these can also be set to Transparent, if preferred.
Thunar (File manager)
More advanced settings for Thunar file manager. I like to set things to always show files in a detailed view.
Uncheck 'Automatically expand Columns...' if you prefer this style.
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| Thunar Configure Columns dialogue |
Left Pane view
The left pane can easily show a Tree-view, providing an expanding folder navigation option.
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| Thunar Side Pane options |
Wallpapers
Simply right-click (by default) on the desktop and select Desktop settings.
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| Desktop settings dialogue |
Screensavers
Most settings are found in Settings Manager, including Screensaver.
Most settings are found in Settings Manager, including Screensaver.
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| Screensaver dialogue |
MX
defaults to a blank screen after a few minutes. To choose a
screensaver, right click on the desktop and select Desktop Settings...
Firefox
Firefox
Firefox is the default MX-17 web browser. Additional applications can be found in MX Package Manager, which is the best option to find common applications like Google Chrome, Google Earth and Wine. The entire collection is well worth a look before delving into the sometimes confusing Synaptic package listings, and should satisfy most office, home and multimedia needs.
Add Australian Spelling or your preferred spell checker from add-on for web page form spell check.
Libre Office
Search for Australian Spelling and Thesaurus packages in Synaptic and add to enable local language support in Libre Office documents.
VLC Player
Uncheck Auto Resize Interface in settings to maintain VLC video player window ratio between different videos.
Miscellaneous
Bluetooth
Searching for discoverable Bluetooth devices (assuming Bluetooth adaptor
is present) is pretty straightforward, allowing trusting and pairing of
known devices. Power Manger
The yellow Power Manger icon in the Panel Notification Area can also be hidden if preferred, which I typically do on a desktop machine. Just uncheck the relevant setting in Power Manager preferences (may require a check/uncheck to activate).
Enjoy
