Modify sound indicator menu to hide controls from inactive player or remove it after closeing

Question

I like Spotify's indicator menu which expands whenever the application is open. I don't like Rhythmbox's which shows all the buttons all the time.

I'd like to hide the Rew/Play/FF buttons from Rhythmbox when the application is inactive.

Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

Sound indicator, with no active player (launchers only, no control buttons)

Sound indicator, with active player (full control buttons)

---

15.10

Have same build steps as 14.04.

• Remove player from menu after close

  Modify src/service.vala for desktop menu to HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS.

  this.menus.insert ("desktop", new SoundMenu ("indicator.desktop-settings", SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.SHOW_MUTE|SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS));
  

  And modify src/sound-menu.vala for add_player function to remove_player_section if it is not running & hide inactive is set.

  public void add_player (MediaPlayer player) {
      if (this.notify_handlers.contains (player))
          return;
  
      if (player.is_running || !this.hide_inactive)
              this.insert_player_section (player);
          else         
              this.remove_player_section (player);
      this.update_playlists (player);
  

• Hide player controls (Prev/Play/Next) from menu after close, keep only its launcher

  Same as 14.04, no change.

---

14.04

1. Download build dependencies and source

   sudo apt-get build-dep indicator-sound
   apt-get source indicator-sound
   

2. Choose the behavior you want:

   • Remove player from menu after close

     Modify src/service.vala for desktop menu.

     this.menus.insert ("desktop", new SoundMenu ("indicator.desktop-settings", SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.SHOW_MUTE | SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS));
     

     I added | SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS, You can remove SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.SHOW_MUTE | if you want hide volume control with muted players.

   • Hide player controls (Prev/Play/Next) from menu after close, keep only its launcher

     Modify src/sound-menu.vala

     1. Add new flag HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS_CONTROLS = 128 with , in end of previous line.

        public enum DisplayFlags {
            NONE = 0,
            SHOW_MUTE = 1,
            HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS = 2,
            HIDE_PLAYERS = 4,
            HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS_CONTROLS = 128
        }
        

     2. Add bool hide_inactive_controls; variable to hold flag status

        bool hide_inactive;
        bool hide_inactive_controls;
        bool hide_players = false;
        

     3. Add this.hide_inactive_controls =... line. to pass SoundMenu constructor flag parameter to its variable.

        this.hide_inactive = (flags & DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS) != 0;
        this.hide_inactive_controls = (flags & DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS_CONTROLS) != 0;
        this.notify_handlers = new HashTable<MediaPlayer, ulong> (direct_hash, direct_equal);
        

     4. Add if (player.is_running || !this.hide_inactive_controls) { and }. to wrap instructions which create (prev/play/next) in menu item. So they are not created only if player is running or hide flag is inactive.

        if (player.is_running || !this.hide_inactive_controls) {
            var playback_item = new MenuItem (null, null);
            playback_item.set_attribute ("x-canonical-type", "s", "com.canonical.unity.playback-item");
            playback_item.set_attribute ("x-canonical-play-action", "s", "indicator.play." + player.id);
            playback_item.set_attribute ("x-canonical-next-action", "s", "indicator.next." + player.id);
            playback_item.set_attribute ("x-canonical-previous-action", "s", "indicator.previous." + player.id);
            section.append_item (playback_item);
        }
        

     5. Add if (this.hide_inactive_controls) { to next }. To force player menu section recreation when player is-running state changes.

        var handler_id = player.notify["is-running"].connect ( () => {
            if (this.hide_inactive) {
                if (player.is_running) {
                    this.insert_player_section (player);
                }
                else {
                    this.remove_player_section (player);
                }
            }
            if (this.hide_inactive_controls) {
                this.remove_player_section (player);
                this.insert_player_section (player);
            }
            this.update_playlists (player);
        });
        

     6. Finally, modify src/service.vala. Add our new created flag | SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS_CONTROLS to desktop menu.

        this.menus.insert ("desktop", new SoundMenu ("indicator.desktop-settings", SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.SHOW_MUTE | SoundMenu.DisplayFlags.HIDE_INACTIVE_PLAYERS_CONTROLS));
        

3. Build and install

   cd indicator-sound-12.10.2+14.04.20140313/
   mkdir build
   cd build/
   cmake ..
   make
   sudo make install
   

Now, the players will disappear after closing them.

---

12.04

1. Download build dependencies and source

   sudo apt-get build-dep indicator-sound
   apt-get source indicator-sound
   

2. Modify src/player-controller.vala, Replace "rhythmbox.desktop" with "xrhythmbox.desktop" in the two occurrences. (just different name)

3. Build and install

   cd indicator-sound-0.8.5.0/
   ./configure
   make
   make install
   

Note: That was a quick trick, the correct way may be:

• Replace

    this.custom_items[widget_order.TRANSPORT].property_set_bool (MENUITEM_PROP_VISIBLE,
                                                            this.app_info.get_id() == "rhythmbox.desktop"); 
  

  with

    this.custom_items[widget_order.TRANSPORT].property_set_bool (MENUITEM_PROP_VISIBLE,
                                                            false); 
  

• and

  if (this.app_info.get_id() == "rhythmbox.desktop"){
    TransportMenuitem transport = this.custom_items[widget_order.TRANSPORT] as TransportMenuitem;
    transport.handle_cached_action();
  }
  else{
    this.custom_items[widget_order.TRANSPORT].property_set_bool (MENUITEM_PROP_VISIBLE,
                                                             true);         
  }
  

  with

  this.custom_items[widget_order.TRANSPORT].property_set_bool (MENUITEM_PROP_VISIBLE,
                                                             true);