How to add xfce4-panel plugin to the specific panel via terminal?

Question

I have an installed plugin, that I want to add to the panel. I can always do that via xfce4-panel GUI. But my question is how can I do that via terminal so no GUI is being called.

xfce4-panel --add=PLUGIN-NAME will call GUI asking for a panel number.

xfce4-panel --add-items=PANEL-NUMBER will call GUI asking for a plugin to be added.

How can I combine these commands so no GUI will be called, i.e. is there a way to add a plugin to the specific panel, assuming that I know panel’s number?

Answer 1

So far, the panel and plugins settings in XFCE is saving in own database, wich can be controlled either editing xml files at $HOME/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml folder, either using command-line util 'xfconf-query', either via GUI tool for that called xfce4-settings-editor.

The panels data in that database are stored in channel 'xfce4-panel' under property '/panels'. Each panel contains their plugins list in their order under "/panels/panel-0/plugin-ids" property, where "panel-0" is panel name.

These ids point to all available plugins that are listed in the same channel "xfce4-panel" under property "/plugins".

So for adding new plugin to panel programmatically you need:

1. add plugin by name to the "/plugins" property
2. add that plugin id to the "/plugin-ids" property of selected panel

Some code:

# xfconf-query not yet support adding individual entries to array 
# so need override all plugins in the panel
# before using this command adapt it to your current list 
# of plugins + simply add your new
# copying and executing this command without adopting may broke your panel 
# do not execute as is
xfconf-query -n -c xfce4-panel -p "/panels/panel-0/plugin-ids" -a \
            -t int -s 1  -t int -s 2  -t int -s 3  -t int -s 4  -t int -s 5  \
            -t int -s 6  -t int -s 7  -t int -s 8  -t int -s 9  -t int -s 10 \
            -t int -s 11 -t int -s 12 -t int -s 13
# so last 13 is our new plugin id, lets add it

# adding new plugin with id 13, lets this be 'xkb' plugin (language layout switcher)
xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -pn "/plugins/plugin-13" -t string -s 'xkb'

# restart panels for taking effect
xfce4-panel --restart