PCManFM-Qt and right-click window manager/root menu

[hedon]

The upstream LXQt project has deprecated the feature for PCManFM-Qt to show window manager/root menu upon right click.  This seems to have taken effect in LXQt 0.14.1.  This is a bitter pill for me, as I have spent literally dozens of man-hours customizing my Openbox, Fluxbox & PekWM root menus to be EXACTLY what I want them to be (and yes, I typically install all 3 on my system).  While LXQt is supposed to be modular, this has the unintended effect, IMO, of handicapping Openbox as a choice of WM.  And the extremely customizable Openbox menus are what pulled me into LXDE in the first place.  The loss of this functionality could be a deal-killer for me and LXQt, as far as I'm concerned.  But I digress...

On the other hand, it seems that Sparky LXQt still retains that functionality!  Inasmuch as Sparky's version of LXQt is also 0.14.1, I'm wondering how Sparky continues to offer this right-click WM option?  Have Sparky devs re-instated the code for that function in their version of Sparky?  If so, will they continue to do so?  Or is it simply a matter of time before that feature is deprecated in Sparky LXQt also?

[paxmark1]

I can not speak for  the lxqt devs, but they are more focused on xfwm4 (as opposed to openbox).   Fresher code and an easier path to wayland.   xfwm4 was not developed to just be for xfce. 

I do not see any mention in the release notes.  But I may have missed. 
https://forum.lxqt.org/t/release-lxqt-0-14-1/648

As always - they are often up and listening on irc. 

peace out,

[hedon]

Thanks Paxmark,

You are correct they are more focused on xfwm4 (and kwin), for the reason you cited (wayland compatibility).  I've spoken with the lxqt devs already and they confirmed that code was removed from pcmanfmqt as it was "inelegant" and "a mess".  This may be true but it worked just fine.  I wish they would've cleaned it up, or otherwise addressed what they didn't like.  But they are the devs and the decision makers, so it is what it is.

This has already filtered to my Lubuntu using version 0.14.1, which is the same version as Sparky.  But Sparky still provides right-click root menus.  Something is different in Sparky, but I don't know what, nor for how long.  I'm hoping pavroo has an answer.  Thanks for the reply though!

[pavroo]

All the lxqt related packages come from Debian repos, I don't re-build them, but the right-click menu presents in Lubuntu 19.04 too.

[hedon]

Aha, I'm using Ubuntu 18.04 base system, with LXQt PPA for latest & greatest LXQt in Lubuntu:

https://launchpad.net/~lubuntu-ci/+archive/ubuntu/unstable-ci

The PPA is a "daily build" repo, but it's been supremely stable for me.  I believe Lubuntu 19.04 has LXQt version 0.14, while my hybrid version of Lubuntu 18.04 is using 0.14.1.  Still doesn't explain why Sparky's version of 0.14.1 is different from my Lubuntu LXQt 0.14.1, although it does explain the difference between my version and Lubuntu 19.04.  I guess you've also answered my question...you're not doing anything special to rebuild pcmanfm-qt...so it's probably just a matter of time until packages filter from Sid repos to Testing.

Thanks for the info pavroo!

[hedon]

As a matter of clarification, right-click menus can be restored by unchecking the "desktop" module in LXQt startup; effectively disabling PCManFM-Qt management of desktop.  While my wallpaper continues to display, desktop icons are lost.  While I typically have 2-3 icons on my desktop (including a trash bin that shows if I have trash to be emptied), I'm generally not a fan of desktop icons.  So perhaps this trade-off will be an acceptable workaround until some enterprising developer decides to "clean up" and reinstate the deprecated code functionality.

Just sharing info for those who may come looking for answers when/if their right-click OB menus disappear.